Just a Ghost?
by The Huntress of the Night
Summary: Andria's a vampire hunter but when put on a mission that is meant to be a dead end, ends with her being removed from her body, she might just have to get some help from the only person who can see her, but when that person's a vampire, she not very willing for the help and the vampire isn't that happy to help.
1. Chapter 1: Blood Camp

Chapter 1

Nothing. That is exactly what had happened over summer camp. Nothing. It just turned out to be a huge waste of time. My time. I could have been doing so much more than this, but no…I was stuck here in a stupid camp with crazed, hormonal teenagers because of that stupid boy and his leads.

I hate him, and he is so going to get a beating when I get home. All I had to do is wait three more days. Three more days and this would be over. No more dirty. No more girly screams. No more cold showers. I would be going home and going back to my normal life. If you could call my life normal.

I sat at one of the many dirty tables that filled the yard that was lift up for dessert. Next to me was the only other girl I had really talked with from the past three and half weeks. Her name was Mary-Lee. She was nice with a perky voice, always laughing and giggling. She was short with pixie blond hair and a cute face that lit up whenever a boy flashed her a smile. She was talking to me about some boy she liked, though he just had realized she was lived about three hours ago. "Oh, look!" she whispered, pulling at my shirt. "He's looking over here again. He's so hot. Do you think he'll come over here?"

"Yeah, completely," I said, mostly not paying attention. I was picking at my dessert, a brownie and ice-cream. I was zooming out. I had come here to do a job and sadly that job didn't seem to exist and now I was bored out of my mind. I just wanted to go home.

"Andria! Andria!" Mary-Lee exclaimed, shaking me. "Are you even paying attention?"

"No sorry."

"What is up with you lately? You've been at…I don't know…weird."

I shot her a look. I was weird.

She looked away and shrugged. "Weirder. When we first meet, you were acting like you were ready for battle, but now, you seem disappointed almost, like you missed it."

"Maybe I did," I whispered under my breath.

She looked at me sideways, not hearing me. "What?"

"Nothing. I think I'm going to head back to the cabin, get some sleep." I stood up, stretching. I want to be alone. There were too many people around me and all I wanted to do right now was to sit and draw. I glanced up stretching my neck, to find the sky black with clouds. It would probably rain soon.

"I'll come with you…" She trailed off as she stood up because the guy, she had been eyeing was walking straight for her.

"Hi," he greeted with his hands in his pockets. He wasn't very tall compared to me, but to Mary-Lee, he was a good head taller. He was evenly tanned and blond with a beautiful smile. "I was wondering if you wanted to talk…" He glanced at me and a flash of disgust rolled over his eyes. "Alone."

Mary-Lee looked at me and then back at him, mouth open but nothing coming out. "Uh…I said…"

"Just go, Mary-Lee. I'll be fine without you. I wanted to think by myself anyways," I cut off.

She smiled a small thank you and then said yes to the boy. The guy barely glanced back at me as he walked away with my friend. I couldn't blame him. I'm tall for a girl, almost five' eleven with short black hair and dark blue eyes. I was seventeen and still convinced that boys were up to no good. I probably didn't help that I had choral all over my face, because I am an artist and had the habit of wiping my face when I was drawing. I wasn't just an artist, but a vampire hunter. I had originally come to this camp because it was meant to be crawling with vampires, but so far there was nothing. It was a dead end and a bad lead. My boss, that boy, was usually really good with his leads but this one was a dead end.

I was bored and going crazy with nothing to do except camp and listen to how much fun people are having or how many people they can sleep with before the camp ended. I was starting to get the Itch. The Itch is almost like a sickness for vampire hunters, actually almost all hunters of monsters. It is when hunters stop hunting or are put in a place where they can't hunt and then they start getting jumpy and unsure of themselves and soon they would end up dead either by stupid mistake in battle or suicide.

I wasn't that far but I was starting to get jumpy and wanted to kill something. Really, really bad.

I walked to my cabin and instantly pulled out my sketch book, an eraser and a little piece of choral. I was going to draw inside until a girl came back with a boy. They instantly began kissing, backing up against a wall. They didn't even notice me. I sighed, annoyed and left. I slammed the door behind me. No way was I staying in there.

I went into the trees and walked for about twenty minutes when i heard moaning.

Oh no, not another couple. Please don't let it be another hook-up…

I wasn't. It was Mary-Lee, body on the forest floor, blood pouring out of her throat. Her glassy eyes stared at me with her mouth gaped open as if to say something. No! Not her! She was so sweet and innocent. But it wasn't a vampire bite on her neck. Her throat had been slit. But what really freaked me out was that her blood was on the trees. I stepped towards the first tree with her blood, cautious. This only happened in the last five minutes. I studied the blood markings. It wasn't just hand prints or words to haunt the one who found her. It was weird symbols. Weird symbols in her blood stained five trees making a circle or was it a star?

"It's a star," a voice answered my question.

I jumped, pulling a little concealed knife that I had on my belt. I faced the vampire, knees belt, ready to attack. There is only one way to kill a vampire. Cut off the head. Sadly my knife wasn't big enough to cut off this leeches' head, but it was covered in dead man's blood which would poison him.

Though it was dark, I could tell that it was the same boy who had led her away to 'talk.'

How could I be so stupid and not realize he was a vampire? I questioned, hating myself.

"That's very simple, because I didn't want you to," the vampire replied, calmly, his hands still in his pockets.

Mind reader! Great.

The changes of running into one of these guys were 1 out of 10,000. I guess I'm that one.

"Yes you are that one," he smiled, showing his teeth. There weren't just two fangs but six. The stronger than freak, the bigger the bit.

"What do you mean that one?" I dared to question. He never answered, just smirked and glanced behind me. I was about to look, sensing someone behind me when a force hit me in the back, knocking me over. I instantly blacked out, knowing I was dead but when I opened my eyes seconds later, I wasn't. I wasn't even in the forest anymore. I was laying on carpet. I leaped to my feet and realized I didn't have my knife any more. I panicked and then I forced my mind to slowed down. I needed to stay calm. Keep your head together, girl. I glanced around.

There was no one in this room exactly me… Wait is this my bedroom?

It was. Same bed with blue blankets. Small pictures up on the walls. Small everything.

What the heck just happened?


	2. Chapter 2: Ghost

**Thank you for the review. I will continue as long as I get reviews, not alot but at lest two or three. Enjoy.**

Chapter 2

What is going on? The last thing I remember…Uh…That's weird. I suddenly can't remember the last thing that happened to me. I remember camp and…

Ow, I can't remember. It hurts my head just to think about it.

"Andria! Wake up! It's time to go!"

Is that Tommy? A preteen exploded through the door with a blow-honk. Dark hair and eyes just like mine, he was my little brother. "Up, you get Andria!" he shouted.

"I am up," I replied, but he wasn't looking at me. He was looking at the bed and the lump that was in the bed. What is going on? If this is some kind of joke that he is playing, I am so going to kill him. This isn't funny. I can't remember anything and I was getting dizzy from just trying to remember.

A new voice interrupted my thoughts of anger and dizzy confusion. It was my voice, but at the same time, it wasn't. I jerked around and froze. The lump on the bed was moving and grumbling. "I'm up. Tommy. I'll be ready for school in a few minutes." The lump sat up and it was me. I mean she looked like me but she couldn't be. I was right here.

"Make it quick. I need to get to school thirty minutes early," Tommy explained before leaving the room, slamming the door. The girl, who looked like me, stretched and got out of bed, walking to the bathroom. She didn't even see me.

I just stood there for a moment frozen and frightened and then it hit me. "I'm dreaming! That explains all of this. It's one of those dreams where you're watching everything from outside your body. All I have to do is wake up."

Yeah, wake up. I'll just throw myself at the wall. That should wake me up.

I faced the wall, breathing out and relaxing my muscles. I could make my body do anything I wanted it to; do to hours of vampire training. Maybe that's why I'm having this weird dream. It's the Itch. It's finally getting to my head. I really need to stake a leech.

I charged the wall but I never hit it. I ran straight through it and dropped to the floor below. I squeaked, feeling like someone had just knocked the wind out of me as I landed in the kitchen on my hands and knees.

"I am not liking this dream."

"She's up, Mom," Tommy's voice exclaimed from the stairs to my mother who was in the kitchen. "She's still acting weird. She didn't throw anything at me again."

My mom popped her pixie like face from the kitchen. "And you're saying that when she doesn't throw things at you, she's being weird. Wouldn't it be the other way around?" she asked. She stepped out with some cereal and milk. She was small with dark black hair and darker eyes. I got my height from my dad who…who was dead…

"Have you ever woken her up? She isn't a happy camper. It's like she's been out all night, but now it's like she gets enough a sleep," Tommy explained, sitting at the table.

"Summer Camp must have changed her," mom replied.

Summer Camp.

It hit me like a bat, knocking to the ground. I had to force myself from completely collapsing on the ground.

Camp.

The dead-end lead.

Mary-Lee. Her blood on the trees.

The boy…Correction…The vampire and then there was this force that…that I don't know what it did, but something wasn't right.

I stared down at my hands, to find that they weren't touching the floor. Actually, none of me was. I was floating. I began to shake and tremble.

No, no, no! This couldn't be happening. This shouldn't be happening! This can't be happening!

I was about to explode when the girl who looked like me, entered the room. She had her black hair crazy with a few streaks of color and dark made-up around her eyes. She wore short shorts with four inched black highs and an extremely tight blood red shirt.

Oh, hell no! That just proved it. That's not me…well it is me as it is my body, but it was not my spirit, because my spirit was still floating about the floor, trying not to have a nervous breakdown.

Everything is going to be okay. Right? I mean it has to be? Being kicked out of your body is just for a few days? She, or whatever she was, couldn't stay in my body for very long, right? It's not possible, but this is a world that secretly has vampires and shape shifter, so this could happen, but to me?

I slowly stood up, if you call what I was doing, standing. I was more like floating. I felt myself trembling and it knew I would hear my heart ringing in my ears, if I had a heart. But I don't becuase I'm a freaking ghost!

I must have spaced out in my little break-down because suddenly my body and my brother were leaving. Time moves fast when you're a ghost. "Oh no, I am not like my body out of my sight. Not when it's dress like that!" I thought, but it came out of my mouth, though I didn't notice.

I raced to follow them and had the door slammed in my waist?

I was in the middle of the door, my upper body outside and the rest of me inside. I just stood there for a moment. "Ghost, duh!" I jumped right out and had to run to catch up with the backing out car. I reached it as it hit the road and I slipped right through the door. I wasn't sitting on the seat, but I wasn't falling out of the car as it sped down the street. Now how did that work?

Ah, I didn't care because my focus moved to my brother who was talking. "You're going way slow!" he complained.

"I just want you to be safe," the girl (my body) replied, sweetly.

"You never go slow," Tommy stated, staring hard at her. "It's be nearly a week, since that camp and you haven't thrown a single thing at me. Not even a pillow. Are you sick? Did you get some kind of disease?"

She laughed. "Don't be silly. I just had…almost like a makeover at camp. Changed how I completely view the world. I'm a new person, Tommy. A better person."

"Yeah, you're completely a new person, you little…" I trailed off as Tommy spoke.

"You can't be a new person. You became a new person when dad died. You can't just do that again, Andria. You were there when dad died, or do you not remember that too?" Tommy threatened.

I wanted to cheer my little brother on. He wasn't stupid. He never has been. Annoying? Yes. Stupid? Never. He knew that wasn't me and I knew he was serious about that girl not being me, because he would never bring up dad, if it was just me and him alone.

The girl hesitated as if trying to remember what to say and then slammed on the breaks, pulling to the side of the road and putting it in park. "Get out!" she growled.

"But I'm still a mile away from school!"

"Don't care. You brought up dad and I had told you never to bring him up. You weren't there, so you have no right to say what I do or don't remember! Now out." This girl held an almost controlling, crazed ring in her voice, that just screamed vampire.

Tommy hesitated and then obeyed, opening the door and stepping out. "You are going to be in so much trouble."

"Like I have never been in trouble before," she said, innocently then grinned, driving away.

"How could you do that?!" I yelled, staring back at my brother. "He's just a boy and you just drop him off in the shady part of town!"

The girl didn't even hear me.

"Right. I'm a ghost and you can't hear me. Great! This is just great." I sank back in my seat, annoyed when the car stopped again. I grumbled, kicking the back of her sit, but my foot just went right through it. "What now?"

The door opened and in sat that guy. That guy who had led Mary-Lee away to 'talk' and had killed her. He smiled, slyly, scanning my body up and down and then leaned in from a kiss. The girl kissed back, roughly.

"Oh gosh! No!" This couldn't be happening. She couldn't be…I instantly felt sick. They just keep on kissing and kissing and kissing and soon they were in one sit. "Oh please stop or at least get a room!" I screamed.

The guy instantly stopped, pulling away, confused. "Did you just say you want get a room?"

"What? No! I didn't even think that and you knew we can't because I haven't completely become one with this body," the girl explained, slightly upset. "And sadly I like this body, a lot."

"So do I, Inarau," the guy smirked, squeezing her/my hips. "But if you didn't think it, then who did?"

The girl shrugged, pulling back onto the driver seat and driving once again. "Don't ask me, Kaless. Let's just get to school, so we can start planning to kill those vampire hunters. Did you know this girl knew every single one in town and most in the surrounding cities? Lucky for us, we don't have to go looking for them and they wouldn't even know what hit them."

"Are you sure this plan is going to work?" the guy, Kaless questioned.

"Have I led you wrong before, my love?"

My love? Oh, this was going to be a long day.

Following my body all around school, wasn't the greatest thing to do. Inarau didn't even flirt with anyone in class or talk to anyone. She just kept quiet, but she did enjoy the stares and whistles that boys gave her as she walked by, swaying her hips. I myself felt sick. How dare she do this to my body? Made it over-sexy and use it to lurk boys to her. I had tried all day to get back into my body, but whenever I tried, I would just go straight through her, like everything else. It was like it wasn't my body anymore and if it wasn't, should I…I don't know…seeing a bright light or something?

I have to find a way back into my body, but how?

I know nothing about ghost and spirits! I knew a lot about vampire and shape shifters, but spirits and even witches, I didn't know a lot about. Witches had been dead for hundreds of years now, wiped out by the vampire, themselves, scared of their power. And spirits…well they were usually someone who had been kill brutally in their life and stayed behind to haunt their killers.

But being kicked out of your body and having someone replaced it? It just doesn't make sense.

I realized something though today, being a ghost, time was different. It was faster. If I wasn't focused on something, besides following my body around, it would slowly speed up until hour went by for me in ten minutes. It was odd, but made the day go by so much fast. I wish it was like that in history class when I did have a body.

That night I followed Inarau to a nightclub. She didn't dance, instead she waited. Waited for Kaless. When they meet up, they didn't say anything until they were outside in the back. I of course followed them.

"Are you sure she is gone?" Kaless questioned in a whisper when they were far enough away from the door.

Inarau gave him a disgusted look. "That is a joke right? I know how to do my job, unlike you."

"Unlike me?" Kaless squeezed Inarau's arm, anger flashing through his face, his fangs slipping out. ''I was the one who made it possible to bring you back. I did my job. I wait three hundred years to do my job and I did not fail. Don't forget I can send you back, my love."

Pain flashed through Inarau's eye and she frowned. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to snap. I forget what it's like to be a body. So many emotions. So many desires." She leaned close to him backing him up against the wall, running her hands up and down his chest. Kaless grinned. Okay their relationship is just weird.

"Okay that's it, I'm going back into the club! I am not watching this, again!" I screamed. "Anyways, I doubt you two will be going anywhere any time soon."

No reply, but by now I was use to it. I walked back into the club, first trying to open the door, but my hand just fell right through the doorknob. "Ghost, right. I don't need to use doors," I reminded myself. Now you think I may be talking to myself a lot, but it was like all my thoughts were coming out of my mouth. I couldn't control myself and I knew it had something to do with being a spirit, I just didn't know what.

I actually don't know a lot, do I?

I walked through the door, passing through a few people as I did. They too didn't see me. The music exploded in the club, people both dancing and talking. Everything looked normal, but I could see the difference. This was a vampire club. Run by vampires to bring in prey without making a murder. Get someone drunk enough and they wouldn't even remember being bitten. If anyone could see me right now, I would be so dead…Wait am I already dead if I'm not in my body, but my body is still alive?

Oh, never mind. That's just a confusing question.

Some vampires can instantly recognize a hunter just by how we walk because…Well we walk like we're stalking something. Just like they walk like their stalking something.

I continued on, shifting through people, being careful not to fall through any people. That's when I felt it. I felt someone's eyes on me. A gaze of pure hatred clawing right into the back of my head. I turned in circles, panicking. Could someone possibly see me? Or was it another ghost?

I stopped, finding the gaze. It was a young man. Tall, dark and extremely handsome. He wore a leather black jacket and a tight shirt that should off his very sexy muscles. His bright green eyes stared at me with a cold hatred. He was a vampire; I could see it in the way his eyes gleamed against the light. Everything about him screamed dangerous. Extremly dangerous.

But what really scared me was that he could see me. He could see me and he wanted to kill me.


	3. Chapter 3: Let's not be both dead

Chapter 3

I just stared, mouth opened and then he turned and head for the door. He kept glancing at me as he opened the door and left. No, I instantly thought. If he could see me, then maybe other people could see me and maybe he knew what the heck was going on. I followed him, not caring now if I walked straight through people. I went through the door and first noticed that my body Inarau and Kaless were nowhere in sight. Great! Just what I need. Now I have to go find my body.

I stopped glancing around. The guy had his back to me with his hands in his back-pockets.

Nice but, I thought, but it came out my mouth inside. Curse this spirit body!

The guy laughed his voice deep and soothing. "Well, that's new. Most hunters don't start out with such a nice complaint."

"You can see me," I said through my teeth.

The guy turned facing me with a two fanged grin. "I'm surprised no one else did. Walking right into a vampire club, dressed like that. Do love the little choral on the face though."

I glanced down at myself. I was still in what I was wearing back at camp. A pair of shorts and a black THREE DAYS GRACE t-shirt. I hadn't even noticed that I was still wearing the same clothes. Great. I look horrible.

He took a few steps towards me. "You have got to be the oddest hunter, I have ever met. You should be scared or at least have a stake near my heart by now."

"You really can see me? And you didn't just see a girl in the club about twenty minutes ago that looked exactly like me?"

"Still odd and no!" he said, backing me up against a wall. Natural I moved back. He could take his best shot at me and I doubt he would ever hurt me. "Good thing I haven't feed tonight because I bet you taste delicious. You look delicious." His eyes scanned me before meeting my gaze once again.

I laughed, throwing my arms into the air. "Take your best shoot." Even if he could bit me, which I doubt, he wouldn't get any blood. No body, no blood.

He rushed towards me, stopping inches away from me, but he hadn't touched me yet. He was fast. Faster than most of the vampires I've killed. I didn't even flinch. He was a good five inches taller than me and it was weird to be looked down upon. "Are you not even going to run?"

I shrugged. "What's the point? You're just going to kill me anyways."

He smiled and leaned forward, trying to grab me. It didn't work. His hands just went right through me. Surprise, he stumbled forward, right through me. He faced me in a flashed, his smug expression gone and now replaced with confusion.

"Then again, you can't kill me, if I am already dead," I finished and flashed an innocent smile.

He didn't say anything, just stared at me, like I shouldn't be real. He lifted his hand and waved it through my body.

"That is rude," I snapped and he jumped.

"You're a ghost?"

"No, I'm just have super-powers, OF COURSE, I'M A GHOST," I yelled. "Idiot."

"Dammit," he hissed under his breath, running his hand through his hair. He then looked at me. "Well, that explains your clothes. You're still in the clothes you died in. Odd that you don't have any blood or injuries on you."

I sighed, crossing my arms. "That's because I didn't die."

The vampire bursts into laughter, clenching his stomach.

"How is this funny?"

"It's funny that you really believe that you're not dead. Most people don't though, when they die." His smug attitude was back like I was nothing new to him. "So do you need some help getting to a bright light or something to put your soul to rest because I have a dinner date to meet in about…?" He glanced down at his watch. "Twenty minutes."

"You mean just dinner," I corrected.

He grinned a smile that would melt girls at the near sight of him. "And probably something more."

I sighed in disgust, rolling my eyes. Great. "Typical male vampire."

He shrugged. "At least I have a body to use."

I grumbled. "I still have a body, it's just being used."

Amused, he replied, "And who is it being used by?"

"I don't know, but I know it happened at summer camp."

"Summer Camp? Really? Aren't you a little old for that? You look about twenty, twenty-one."

"I'm only seventeen."

He seemed shocked, stepping towards me, hands back in his pockets. "Really? You seem mature for someone who is only seventeen, but then again, most vampire hunters are. Because looking at you again, I don't think I would kill you right away. I think I would some fun."

I'm getting nowhere with this blood-sucking player. I need to find my body. "Can you help me or not?"

"Uh, no." And then he was gone, in a flash.

Wow, he really was fast.

Dammit, why did I let him do that? Oh, because I'm a ghost and I can't really stop him.

I sighed, running my hand through my hair. First I miss place my body and now the only person who can see me, so gone and I didn't even get his name. Though, the name didn't really matter. He could have dozens of names, he was after all a vampire and probably a very old one. Vampires were always changing their name as time moved on. Why did the only person who could see me have to be a vampire?

I wanted to scream.

But there's no point. He's a vampire and I am or was a vampire hunter, as if he would be very willing to help me…I just wish I could find him, because if he can see me, maybe he knows other people (other human people,) who can see me and actually want to help.

He had been very handsome though…very yummy….Hey I'm a girl still…

I felt a sudden jolt through my body…I mean spirit-thingy cutting off my thoughts and when I looked around I wasn't behind the vampire club anymore, I was in someone's house. Correction, apartment. A very nice apartment with a 70" flat screen TV, wii, xbox, blue-ray player with at least three hundred movies in a case, two different computers and to top it off, very nice, very expense furniture.

Where in the heck was I?

A clock dinged and I glanced up at it. 12:30 am! "Wait! It's 12:30 a.m.! It was 10:00 back the club just less than twenty seconds ago," I thought, but it still came out my mouth. I still didn't understand how that worked.

The front door suddenly opened and in walked a girl, very blond, very busty and very drunk, but was really caught my attention was the man who followed behind. The vampire. "Nice place," the girl said, eyeing him.

"Has an even better bedroom," he said, slowing backing her up, after shutting the door. The girl only smiled, partly excited and a little bit afraid.

"Really?" I said out loud. "Haven't seen that room yet? Wow, vampires really do take out."

The vampire froze, inches away from the girl and glancing back at me, daggers of disbelief and shock clawing into me. I just put on a great smile and waved.

"What are you looking at?" girl questioned, confused.

The vampire shook his head. "Nothing, come on." He grabbed her arm and led her into the bedroom, slamming the door.

I laughed. Did he really think that was going to stop me?

I simply walked through the door, hands on my hips. They were already on the bed, kissing and petting.

"Sure completely ignore me. I'll just keep talking until you answer me."

He still ignored me.

I glanced at the girl's face again and was surprised. "Really? I thought you would be able to pick up someone better looking than her." I didn't really have any other plan beside annoy him and it seemed to be working because he tensed for a moment.

"Isn't she a bit small for you? You're going to completely crush her before you even get anywhere."

This made him mad because he squeezed the girl who squeaked in pain.

"Oh, how about I sing? I've always been told I have the most amazing singing voice." Not. I have the worst. My mom told me it sounded like dying cats. "Everyone was kung-fo fighting, these cats were as fast as lightningggggg!"

"Shut up!" he yelled, suddenly standing and facing me. He was pissed and he was shirtless.

"Man, you're hot." Again my thoughts come out of my mouth.

The human girl on the bed got up, fixing herself. "You're freaking weird. I am so out of here."

"Wait…" But he stopped, turning back to me, realizing it was pointless. The front door slammed shut and he exploded. "What the hell are you doing here?"

I shrugged. "I don't really know. One minute I'm behind the club talking to you and the next I'm here and maybe I wouldn't be if you helped me."

"I can't help you. You're dead."

"So are you."

"No, I'm undead. You're just plain out dead. Anyways why do you think I could help you?"

"Because you're the only one who can see me," I simply explained. I thought that was obvious.

He grumbled, walking out of the bedroom, through the living room and into the kitchen. "You just had to ruin tonight for me, did you? Can't you have wait twenty minutes?"

I followed him, walking right through walls. It was actually fun. "No, but you would have ruin it without me."

"You think this is funny don't you?" He pulled out a bottle of what looked like blood and came towards me, wanting to look down on me. "I am a vampire and one of the more dangerous ones."

"You would be," I corrected him

"What?"

"You would be dangerous if I was alive and you could touch me, but you see, I don't have a body at the moment and so you're harmless."

He yelled through the bottle at me, but it just sailed right through and crashed against the wall, though it didn't break. "Still harmless," I smiled.

He stepped even closer, less than an inch again. "See that where you're wrong. To get rid of you, all I have to do is salt and burn your bones and you'll be out of my hair forever."

"Have fun doing that, when my body is still up and walking around. I don't even know what my body went," I realized. "I should probably find it."

"Good, you find your body and stay away from me." He walked over to the cumbers and opened one.

"I'm not going anywhere," I exclaimed. "Are you going to help me?"

He pulled out a box. "That's what I thought you were going to say." And then he threw something at me. Something that burned. I felt myself inside twist with pain, jumping back through the wall. He followed me into the living room. He grinned, shaking the box. "Didn't like that, not did you?"

It was salt.

"Salt? Seriously? That myth is actually true!" I screamed

He smiled, stepping closer to me. "Yes, it is, though it wouldn't kill you again, it will get you the hell away from me." He went to dash me with salt again, but this time, my vampire skills kicked in and I ducked, coming in close and bam! I hit him square in the jaw. He stumbled back, dropping the salt. I froze. "Did I just…" Just then the door opened and in walked three other vampires. Very big. Very bloody. And Very angry.

**Thanks so much for reading and reviewings. I would have had this up sooner but I had a mid-term paper due, so it sort of sucked the writing out of me. But please enjoy and comment if you like it or there is something you didn't like about.**


	4. Chapter 4: Oh Hell!

**Thanks for all the reviews. Keep it up and I hope you like this chapter.**

Chapter 4

"Well, well, well, isn't it our favorite little backstabber," the first vampire that walked through the door growled with a wide grin. He was big and bulky with short cut blond hair and dark eyes.

The vampire that I had somehow hit, stood up, rubbing his jaw where a red bruise had formed. He glanced at me for a brief moment before turning his focus to the three muscle heads that were now in the house with the door quietly shut behind them. "Right now isn't a good time, Zeke," he said. "I'm already in the middle of one crazy crisis."

"I am not a crazy crisis," I growled.

"No but you are crazy," he replied, not caring if the other vampires looked at him like he was insane.

"Wow, the mighty Malcolm Selixd has finally snapped," the vampire Zeke, said.

I stopped. No, it couldn't be? "Wait, your name is Malcolm Selixd? Like as in Selixd Family that rules that Vampire empire? You're the youngest son, the only who run away."

"More like banished," he replied.

"Talking to yourself, are we Mal? Your father always said you would lose your marbles," Zeke said.

Mal looked very pissed. "I'm not talking to myself, I am talking to a ghost who won't die and is being a pain in my…"

He was cut off as one of them through a dagger at his head. He dodged it, walking right through me. "Enough talking. Crazy or not, your sister wants your head on a plate," Zeke laughed.

Mal straightened and laughed. "Good old Kahla. Is she is still pissed about that whole human thing?"

The shorter vampire beside Zeke attacked, rushing towards, sword in hand. He went for Mal's head, but Mal or should I say, Prince Mal got to his first, ripping his head right off the vampire's shoulders. Blood splattered onto everything except me.

"Show off much," I said, arms crossed. I was still mad at him for attacking me with salt.

Mal smirked. "At least I can…" He trailed off as he was tackled by the other vampire who then threw in a few dozen fast punches. Damn this vampire was quick and strong. Mal couldn't throw him off and was even slightly confused as why he couldn't.

I hit the other vampire like I did to Mal, but I couldn't. My hands just went right through him. "What is happening? Why can't I touch you?!" I screamed.

"Because you're a freakin ghost!" Mal yelled back, just as angry as I was; he was just a lot bloodier. I couldn't be bloody.

After a few more minutes, Mal stopped struggling and the vampire stood up and brought him to his knees. I felt helpless. I couldn't stop them from killing the only person who could see me. Zeke approached pulling out a wooden blade. "I'm sorry it has to end this, Malcolm," Zeke said, raising his sword.

Mal snorted, spitting blood out of his mouth. His beautiful face was now all black and bloody, though I knew it would only be a few hours before it was completely healed. "No you're not," he hissed, looking extremely dangerous, but very weak.

"You're right, I am not." His sword went down, but it never finished the deed, because suddenly I had the other sword in my hand and I copped Zeke's arm off. He screamed, stumbling back. The vampire holding Mal down, released him for a brief moment, but that was all Mal needed. He leaped up, fists clenched together, hitting the vampire square in the jaw. He quickly killed the vampire while he was still recovering. Zeke on the other hand, run, right out the door, leaving his arm.

And then there was silent and Mal and I just stood there, staring at the door. I was somehow still holding the sword, though I had no idea how. I really hate having no idea what's going on.

Finally after we knew for sure that Zeke was not coming back, we looked at each, Mal breathing hard and me, not even breathing. "I should probably thank you," he said sourly, "but if you hadn't been here, I wouldn't have been distracted and would have done perfectly."

"So, you're saying this is my fault?!" I yelled. "You are unbelievable."

"Well you did chase my dinner away," he growled.

I coughed a laugh. "And that's why you were so weak? You haven't feed."

"Not since this morning."

"Well, aren't you a saint," I grumbled and suddenly the sword dropped from my hand, landing in my feet. "What the hell?!"

Mal laughed, wiping off some blood on his face. "You really have no idea what a ghost can do, do you?"

I glanced at him funny. "What do you mean?"

He shook his head, walking to the door and shutting it. Either of us wanted prying eyes, though no one could see me. "Forget it. The less you know how to do the better. Anyways I don't have time to explain it to you, not with two bodies in my apartment and an arm."

"Right, so you're probably just going to try to get rid of me again," I sneered.

"And why would I do that?"

I stared at him confused. This guy didn't make any sense to me. "Because you clearly don't want me here nor do you wish to help. You think I'm crazy."

"No," he objected, picking up one of the bodies. "I know you're crazy. There is a difference."

"Thanks," I grumbled. I felt tired and drain like I needed sleep, but ghost don't sleep right? Mal slowly carried the bodies to a window and tossed them out, straight into a dumpster, though he didn't throw the arm out. "Great place to put the bodies, just throw them out the window!"

Mal glared at me and then moved forward to the bathroom, turning the on water. "They'll be ash by dawn, remember?"

I just nodded. How could I forget that?

See when vampires die, the sun will burn up their bodies, but it has no effect on them when they are living or un-living? It makes disposing of their bodies very easy. I glanced around the living room, while he washed the blood off his already healing face. The place was destroyed. "Sorry about your apartment. It did have a pretty nice setup," I admitted. There was no point in being nasty at the moment. He wasn't going to spare me with salt if I behaved and I was truly too tired to make a fuss.

"I'll just have to steal money from good old mum and dad," he said, coldly, clearly in pain from his healing face. He winced at the side of his face slowly healed over. Whoever told you that when vampires heal it doesn't hurt, they are wrong. Human skin takes days, even weeks to heal, but to a vampire it only takes hours and it's a painful process.

"Mum and dad? You mean Lord Cornlin Selixd and Lady Mar Selixd? Strange. We, hunters were made to believe that you were dead," I said, leaning against the door in the bathroom.

"That's because dear old mum and dad wanted you too, because they wanted to. They want nothing to do with me and I am completely okay with that."

"They can't be that bad."

Mal stopped, turned off the water and turned to me, coming less than inches away from me. "That statement coming from a vampire hunter is meaningless. Vampire hunters are just as much of a monster as we are. We both kill, sometimes for survival and sometimes for fun and even for both. It's the way of life."

I stepped up on my tippy- toes, not wanting to be looked down on, but I was still shorter than him. "Well, good thing I'm not living at the moment."

He cracked a smile. It was the smile of when we first meet, which not seemed like forever ago. Smug, luring and completely charming. "Either am I."

We just stood there for a few long minutes. Him staring down at me, myself, trying not to be looked down upon. I could feel the tension building and something else, though I didn't know what it was; I knew I didn't like it. He suddenly snorted a laugh and then pulled away. "What?" I grumbled.

"You look tired," he said, almost laughing, "which is odd because ghosts don't get tired."

"Oh, and you would know?" I challenged.

"I would and another thing I know about ghost is because they are separated from their bodies, they are now their minds, meaning almost everything they think comes out of their month, which isn't a problem cause most people can't see you or hear you," he explained.

"I don't believe that."

A challenged gleamed in his eyes and he wiped the blood off his chest and I couldn't help by start. He did have a nice strong chest. He stepped close to me again. I stared for a moment and then looked up into his eyes. "Now tell me what do you think? Am I attractive?" His voice was sedative and I knew if I had a body, I would be able to feel his breath on my cheek.

But I didn't, meaning I couldn't feel and I couldn't keep my thoughts to myself. "Yes, very attractive," I hissed, nastily. "Happy?"

"Very." He stepped back, picking up the chopped off arm and walking towards his room. "Now if you don't mind I think I am going to bed. It's been a long night with you destroying my life, not getting feed and oh yeah, the assassins that tried to kill me."

"I did not destroy your life," I growled.

He waved the arm around and then shrugged. "Not yet, but I doubt you're going anywhere anytime soon."

I slowly sat on the couch, feeling more and more tired. "Most likely not."

He looked slightly irritated at this, but then he just brushed it off. He was about to go to bed when he stopped and looked back at me one more time. "What's your name?"

That was the number one no-no when it came to being a vampire hunter. Never tell the leeches your name or let them see your face, because unlike vampires who are masters at disappearing, it was be near impossible for me to disappear. I just looked away, my face grim.

He snorted. "Not going to tell. Vampire hunter training too strong for you to tell me your name?"

I hesitated and then slowly I said, "Andria."

He smiled and then disappeared into his room. I waited until he was gone for a good few minutes and then laid down and oddly enough fell asleep.

Mal's pro

I never went to bed. I couldn't not with this ghost, Andria in the other room. I still didn't understand what she wanted. She seemed to find me wherever I went, so at this moment there was no point in trying to chase her away. I slowly opened the door, hoping she would be gone. Ghosts just seem to disappear when people aren't around, but then again this girl is nothing like any ghost I have ever seen.

I use to see ghosts all the time when I was growing up, but then it happened and since then I haven't seen a single ghost, until now. But she was different. A different kind of ghost. More human, less depressed. More alive.

It was confusing me, but what confused me ever more when I saw her on the couch asleep.

What the hell? Ghosts don't sleep! They can't sleep. They disappear when no one wants them around or they think they don't need to be around, they don't lie down on your couch and take a nap!

As I moved to the kitchen, she didn't moved, didn't even hear me. Even when I started to clean up, she didn't move. She didn't even hear me. She didn't move all night as I cleaned and straightened my apartment. Now you probably think I am a clean freak, but do you know how hard it is to get blood out of a carpet? It doesn't come out easy and is a pain in my butt. Also I couldn't sleep and I wasn't just going to wait around in my room.

I was almost done when suddenly Andria started tossing and returning, waving her arms around and kicking and screaming. I ran to her side, going to try to wake her up, but as I went to grab her, she just went through me.

Ghost right! Stupid freak that wouldn't leave me alone.

Okay, maybe I can't touch her, but I can talk to her. "Andria. Andria! What the hell is wrong with you? You're less annoying when you're wake. Hell! Wake up, you're a freakin weirdo! Ghosts don't sleep, the living do!"

I was more expressing myself, than actually trying to help. I wanted her out of my life and away from me.

Just as quickly as she had started, she stopped, suddenly waking up and grabbing hold of my arms. Her eyes were wide and sweat seemed to be rolling down her face, but that was impossible. Her touch was hot as if she was in a fire, but that was also impossible too. "Fire," she said, hoarsely and then there was a bright black light and we weren't in my apartment anymore.

Oh, hell!


	5. Chapter 5: Fire and Earth

Enjoy! ;)

Chapter 5

I remember seeing fire and then Malcolm's pissed off face and then this black light and then…and then…. Wait! Where am I?

I wasn't in Mal's apartment that was for sure and neither was he. He was kneeling right in front of me with my hands on his arms. He looked just as frightened and confused as I was; except he was a little angrier. It was still mostly dark except for the little red light in the east that was slowly beginning to rise. We were in the middle of some street in the middle of a bunch of houses. "What did you just do?" I exclaimed, releasing Mal and slowly standing.

"Me?!" Mal shouted, leaping to his feet.

"Yes, you!"

"Me!" He looked like be about to explode. His expression seemed tired and his eyes were dark with hunger. "I didn't do anything. You just started screaming and yelling and then I tried to help you because you wouldn't shut up and the next thing I know, I'm in the middle of some random street with the most annoying person in the world!"

"You're acting like a giant toddler," I said, unable to stop myself.

"Well, maybe if I do, you'll get the hell away from me!" He stopped, breathing hard, his face red. He was really pissed and hungry. I could see that clearly. Maybe this was my fault? Uh, it doesn't matter now.

"Are you done?" I asked, calmly.

He glared at me for a moment longer, before straightening himself and running a shaky hand through his hair. "Yeah," he grumbled. "I'm done. Now let's get out here. This place stinks of humans. I hate humans."

I snorted. "What am I?"

He scanned me up and down and then started walking, heading for the sidewalk. It was still dark outside and nobody was out. "You're a crazy ghost who still believes that she's alive and someone else is walking about in her body. I would classify that far from human."

I followed him, not really knowing where I wanted to go. "So, you're still not going to help me?"

"Why would I do that? The only reason I would help you get back to your body, even if that were true and it's not. I would only do it, so I could kill you myself," he growled, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I wouldn't be that easy to kill, you know? I am a trained vampire hunter," I growled back.

"Says the vampire hunter who got herself killed. Oh yeah, I should really be scared."

I stepped in front of him, walking backwards, (more floating) my arms crossed against my chest. I willing to play this game of words and power, I had nothing better to do at the moment. "And what should I be scared of? The great Malcolm Selixd, youngest son of the great rulers of the Vampire Empire, who can't even fight off three Halflings by himself. You would be dead if it wasn't for me," I said.

Mal nearly leaped at me with his mouth open to yell when he rounded the corner and a still partly blazing house came into view. We both stopped. There were dozens of worried people in their PJs outside around the house behind the fire truck and the ambulance. Bright lights flashed while firefighters finished putting out the rest of the fire. I instantly knew where I was. I suddenly felt like my knees were going to give way and my throat closed.

Home.

My home was completely burned to the ground.

"You know where we are, don't you?" Mal asked, noticing my mood change.

I didn't argue or fight. I just slowly nodded. "This…That was my home. My family. MY FAMILY!" I panicked and broke into a sprint. They can't be dead. They just can't.

"Andria," Malcolm called out, but I didn't respond. I couldn't. I had to make sure my family was safe and not dead.

"They have to be okay," I told myself as I ran through the crowd of people and the fire truck. I stopped and for a moment I didn't see any of my family but then I saw my brother and my anxiousness decreased, until I saw his face. Giant tears rolled down his cheeks and he was holding tightly to my body, Inarau who had a cold expression. They both to be okay, but if my brother was crying that meant…

I looked towards the ambulance and my body froze. There was covered body in the back, not moving and not breathing. I knew the shape instantly. That's what happens when you're an artist, you learn to know people by their shape, so even at a distance, you know it's them. This body was my mother's.

I dropped to my knees, sobbing, but no tears came. I'm ghost. Ghosts don't cry. I began shaking and this strange feeling came over me. I wasn't sorrow or anger. I knew those. I was feelings those. This was different. It was darker and it scared me. It screamed danger. I had a sudden feeling that I needed to get away from these people. I needed to run and never look back. I slowly forced myself to stand and walk away from the scene, that feeling still building in my chest.

"I can't stay here." I then ran from the crowd and returned to where Mal stood like a stone with an expression of disbelief on his face. He barely glanced at me as I approached. He had this stupid expression on his face suddenly and I wanted to hit him, but I didn't have the strength. "You weren't joking, were you?" he asked, finally looking at me.

"What?" I sneered, the growing feeling made it hard for me to stand.

"Either that is your twin or you're really not dead," he clarified, gesturing to Inarau.

I looked over at her with her arms around my brother and then I saw something that made my snap control inside. A smirk. The tiniest grin on her face as she watched the body of my mother disappears in the vehicle. "Her. She did this! She killed my mom!" I screamed. "I am going to kill her!"

The feeling suddenly overpowered me and I fell to my knees, gasping. What was this? I couldn't force it away and the pain it was causing me was unbearable.

I glanced up at Mal and he looked almost scared. "You need to calm down right now," he ordered in a voice that wasn't calm at all.

"What are you so scared of? Scared of a little ghost getting mad?!" I growled, clenching my stomach. What was this? I didn't understand. I thought ghost don't feel pain. I mean the salt hurt but it wasn't something that could kill me. This pain was eating me away inside, slowly killing me.

He knelt beside me. "You need to come down, right now, Andria." His voice was soothing this time and welcoming, but I could hear the worry behind it. Why was he so worried?

I turned on him, the feeling exploding me. "Why?! My mom is DEAD!" The feeling released from with inside me and a sudden earthquake hit, knocking everyone to the ground. The more I released this feeling the stronger the earthquake became and the more people got hurt. I didn't know how to stop and I didn't want to keep it in, it hurt too much. People screamed and yelled, running in every direction. But Malcolm didn't run. He was still kneeing beside me, his face strangely very calm.

He looked at me. "You need to stop."

I shook my head. "I can't."

He abruptly grabbed my hand and I didn't know how but I could feel his touch. It was soft and sent tingles through my arm. When I looked into his eyes, I saw pain. This was painful for him to touch me, though I had no idea how he was doing it. He squeezed my hand. "You need to stop or your brother might die too."

I glanced over at my brother as Inarau lead him away trying to escape the earthquake. I could see the fear in his eyes before he was knocked to the ground. I wanted to help him, but I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything. I did need to stop. "But I don't know how."

"Breath," he simply said.

I laughed, coldly. "Ghosts don't…"

"Breath!" he order, squeezing my hand until it felt like it had broken. "Now."

I slowly took a deep breath in and exhaled even slower and as I did, the earthquake slowed and finally stopped. The screaming people stopped. Everything seemed to stop. Everyone froze and I just stared at Malcolm with astonishment. He was still squeezing my hand. The feelings inside me seemed to disappear as his hand squeezed tighter and tighter and then he let go and the feeling vanished completely.

"What just happened?" I dared to ask.

Mal instantly looked away, hiding something. "You're a freak of nature. That's what happened." He stood up and dusted himself off.

I stood up, feeling strangely weak. "You're a lair. You know what just happened, so don't give me crap!"

"That's all you've ever given me!" Mal yelled and people turned their heads. They were staring, of course. He relaxed, sighing. "People think I'm crazy, don't they?"

"Oh no," I replied, still pissed at him. "There just some random shirtless hot guy standing in the middle of the road, yelling at himself? Of course they think you're crazy!"

He rolled his eyes at me. "Great."

I snorted, folding my arms over my chest. "And why would you care? I thought you hate humans, so I would think you don't care about how they see you."

He was quiet for a moment as people went back to caring for their families. He walked back towards the far sidewalk. "I do care, because that is my food if you don't remember? And if they think I crazy they will not let me anywhere near them," he growled in a whisper. "So yeah, I care."

His eyes flashed against the bright lights and he flinched. Vampires are only super sensitive to light when… "You still haven't feed?" I guessed, disgusted.

"Does it look like it? And it's not like I exactly have the time with my crazy schedule." He gestured to me.

I opened my mouth to say something nasty in response when Inarau, my body, yelled, rushing towards the crowd of firefighters. "My brother!" she exclaimed out of breath. "I can't find him. Where's my brother?!"

I could see the faked panic on her face. She was lair and had done something to Tommy. I instantly panicked. "Tommy! Where's Tommy!" I yelled, though the only person who could hear or see me was Mal. I glanced back at Mal, who just shrugged, more worried I would start another earthquake.

"Just stay calm," he said.

"Where's my brother?!" I growled, still looking around, wildly. He had to be here. He couldn't have gotten far unless Inarau did something or killed him in the chaos. She had burned down my house and probably murdered my mother, I wouldn't put it pass her to kill Tommy. But still he was just a kid. She couldn't kill a kid right?

Well that's what I hoped, though I know inside she wouldn't hesitating in killing a child.

I looked up at down the street and then I saw him, fifty yards away from me standing the middle of a road as two bright head lights came rushing towards him. He didn't move, didn't yell, he just stood there, perfectly still.

The car came speeding closer and still he did not move. "Tommy!" I cried, racing towards him, but I was too far away and I still had no idea how any of my powers worked. Suddenly I saw a blur whip by me and Tommy was gone and the car sped right through me, but I saw the driver. It was Kaless and he was staring straight at me, shocked. He had seen me.

I would have gone after him but first I don't think I could truly hurt him, or at least I don't know how and second I was magically standing beside Malcolm again. He was kneeling on the ground with his back to me and his arms wrapped around something.

It was Tommy!

Mal stood up facing me with a grim expression. Tommy, though twelve years old, was small for his age and was unconscious in Mal's arms.

"You saved him?" I questioned in disbelief. "Why? You don't…"

"We need to leave," he cut in. A new expression masked his face and it was different from the many I have seen this passed day. It was colder, angrier and more deadly. "Take us back to my apartment."

I jerked back surprised. "But I don't know how…"

"Yes, you do, so do it now, or we all might just die," he threatened.

I shook my head. I didn't know how to transport to a different location willingly. "I don't know…"

"Now, Andria," he said with power and it surprised me. This wasn't annoyed Mal. This was deadly Mal. Dangerous Mal. And with him holding my brother, I didn't really have a choice. I slowly put my arms on Mal's shoulders, knowing that we had to be touching, and then I closed my eyes and focused with all my effort. Back the apartment, I thought and a gush of wind rushed over us and when I opened my eyes, I was back in Mal's apartment, my brother was on the couch unconscious and Malcolm was gone.

**Thank for the reviews. This chapter was a bit more serious, but I hope you like it. Review and enjoy! And see if you can guess what is going to happen next...Until next time!**


	6. Chapter 6: Get rid of her

**Enjoy! ;) Please review and tell me what you think and what you think should happen next. I am always opened to new ideas.**

Chapter 6

Mal's Pro

I had to leave as soon as Andria got us back to my apartment. I could smell blood on the boy and I couldn't risk that I would kill him because I was so damn hungry. It's not because I cared about the boy…I didn't give crap what happened to him. He was human after all. What I was really worried about was Andria.

I knew she could and would cause another earthquake if anything happened to her brother and I knew I wouldn't be able to stop her a second time.

I quickly found the nearest hung-over person on the street. It wasn't hard, though their blood was disgusting; I didn't have time to go hunting for someone tasty. I had too much to do. Too much to worry about.

Right now, I needed to talk to someone. Someone who might, if he agrees, can help me with my little ghost problem.

I walked down a darken alley, with the sun coming up from behind me. I heard something move from behind me and I stopped, smiling. "Jac, must you always sneak around?" I asked, turning around with my hands in my leather jacket. Yes, I grabbed my jacket off the couch before I left my apartment. I was not going around without a shirt anymore. I didn't need to draw attention to myself.

A slim figure stepped out of the shadows with his back to the rising sun. The guy was shorter than me, but had the small features expect for the eyes, his eyes were bright blue, instead of green. Jac was my brother. He's my older brother by a good twenty years, which is a short time for a vampire family. We are the only two siblings out of the six that actually get along. Sure, Jac and I have our differences and disagreement, but he is the only person I can always turn to and he knows he can always turn to me for help.

"Well, aren't you in a happy mood?" Jac said, amused. Jac had this strange ability like how I could see ghost, he can see people's true emotions. He said it's like the person is glowing blue or red or any color, depending on their mood.

"Yeah," I replied, frowning. "Life is great with a sudden appearance of an annoying ghost, skipping out of dinner for more than twelve hours and…oh, yeah, our sister sending thugs to kill me. So yeah, life is great."

Jac made a face. "She's still mad about the how human thing?"

I shrugged a yes. "I don't see why, though?"

"You killed the man she loved, brother," Jac said, sharply.

"He was human," I growled.

"She was in love," Jac sighed, exhaling. "But that's not why you called me?"

I shook my head, glancing around. Andria could be anywhere. She could find me if she really wanted to, but with her brother unconscious, I doubt I am the first thing on her mind. Still I had to be careful. "No," I replied. "How about we talk over drinks?"

"A little early for drinks, don't you think?" Jac said, surprised. I wasn't one to drink but I needed it after nearly day of craziness. It's not like alcohol would dull my senses, it would just make me more relaxed and relaxed is what I needed.

I laughed, already leading the way. "When is it ever too early for you, Jac?"

My brother returned the laugh, following me. "That is true."

Once at the bar, it was quiet and dark. It was a now empty vampire bar and the perfect place to talk. I was able to tell Jac everything that happened…well almost everything. He just listened and drank and when I finally finished, he snorted somewhat of a laugh. "And I thought life back home was mess up right now," he said with a crooked smile.

"I need some extra help and I can't exactly get into the family library. The guards would kill me," I explained.

"Nah, the guards won't kill you, mom would though," Jac said, taking another sip.

"Your mom. Not mine, remember?" I corrected, sharply.

Jac and I were half-brothers. Lady Mar Selixd is not my mother, but Lord Selixd is my father. He was well-known for always sleeping with woman, but back four hundred years ago, he always kill them as soon as he was done. He always killed after love, but with my mother…well I truly don't know why he didn't kill her. I tried to ask him why, but he just shut me out, yelling and screaming. When Mar Selixd found out about me, she tried to kill me, but my father won't allow it.

"Don't be so harsh," Jac said.

"She tried to kill me five times, of what I can remember and that doesn't include the other attacks she set up secretly," I reminded him.

Jac nodded in understanding. "I don't see why she didn't take it out on dad, I mean he is the only who started all this. Family?!"

"I know," I agreed.

Jac suddenly twirled on his sit and then faced me, changing the subject. "So this ghost, you're having trouble with, what's she like?"

I groaned. "A pain. She's loud, annoying, always arguing and putting up a fight. She also knows how to get what she wants."

"Huh, reminds me of someone I know," Jac joked.

"And," I added, glaring daggers at him. "She's a vampire hunter."

Jac stopped, choking on his drink. "What?!"

"You heard me. She's a vampire hunter or was. She's a good one too, for being you know mostly dead."

"Sounds like a great match. You, the human-hater and her, the vampire-hunter. I hope everything works out for you two."

"This isn't funny, Jac," I said, keeping my anger under control. "I need to get rid of her."

Jac ignored my statement and asked a question that I knew was coming. "Is she hot?" he asked.

"No," I snapped, a bit too quickly.

"So she is," Jac figured. "Nice."

"You're think about girls now aren't you?" I guessed.

Jac nodded, smiling. "Girls in the shower, girls in the bed."

"You're disgusting sometimes, you know that?"

"Hey, you're the one who can see the girl not me."

There was a pause and then Jac repeated the question. "Maybe," I snapped. "I don't know. I haven't really noticed."

"Right." My brother didn't believe me, but I didn't care. He could think what he wanted.

Okay, I have noticed and even with the smugs of charcoal on her face, she is very pretty for a human. Better than that girl, I tried to hook up with, before she interrupted. "So can you help me or not?" I finally asked.

Jac thought for a moment and then smiled, again. He smiles a lot. He's just a hell-happy person, which can be annoying at times. "I'll go over the books back home, but the amount of power needed to create an earthquake…well let's just say it doesn't sound exactly like a ghost, it sounds more like a…"

"I know," I cut off. "Let's just pray it's not."

Andria's Pro

I waited for Tommy to wake up, but he didn't for what felt like hours, but when I looked up at the clock, it had only been ten minutes. I screamed in frustration. "I hate being a ghost." I kicked at something, but my foot just went right through it and I fell onto my back.

I groaned. It didn't hurt.

I didn't care at the moment where Mal went. He was probably feeding. He needed to. I could see it in his eyes back at my house. My burned house where my mom died.

I swallowed. I didn't get angry this time. Instead, I became determined. I stood up and glanced at Tommy. He didn't look like he was going anywhere. I could be gone for thirty minutes. "Well, like Rick always said, don't get angry, get even."

Time to find Inarau and like that, I was suddenly in a different house. "Hey, I'm starting to get use to this ghost powers," I said. "And I'm starting to talk to myself, great."

I looked around. I was in some old house. A very old house. I walked around for a bit, finding no one. This place was completely abandoned and I was about to give up when I passed a shiny new door that was unlike all the rest. I stopped, facing it. I could hear voices. Two voices to be exact. One that sounded very similar to mine. Inarau. And the other was a voice I had learned to hate. Kaless.

"You need to be more careful," Kaless's voice warned behind the shiny door. I instantly walked towards the voices, going straight through the door and entering a room filled with books. Very old, creepy looking books. My attention was changed as I glanced at one of the books on a table. It was in this weird writing, but there was one thing I did recognize. Symbols. There were the five symbols that were on the page.

There were the same symbols that have been written in blood back at summer camp. I stared at the page and my mind clicked.

Magic.

Kaless had used some type of magic to bring Inarau back and force her spirit into my body. "But if it was magic, then there has to be a way to reverse the spell," I slowly realized. I was about to look over at other books that were open on the table when Inarau screamed out from the other room that attached to this one through a small stair case.

I immediately walked to the other room to find Inarau sitting against the wall with her arm burned. Kaless was by her side, slowly helping her up. "I told you…"

"I know," she snapped in pain and then she exhaled and looked up at him. "I'm sorry. It's this stupid body. I'm not fully connected with it yet and my magic will not work properly until I am."

"Is that the reason why I saw Andria's ghost?" Kaless asked.

"I knew it!" I exclaimed. "You did see me."

Kaless shifted his gaze from Inarau for a moment, confused, but then Inarau spoke, grabbing his attention. "Maybe. If I'm not completely connected to her body, she still might be holding on," she explained. She stood up straight, her arm already healing.

"Then we need to get rid of her," Kaless growled.

"No. She's not a problem."

"But she could throw you out of this body and then all our plans would be ruined."

"No, she can't because she would need magic and sadly for her, without a body, she doesn't have any," Inarau explained, walking towards me…well more towards the room with all the books.

"Malcolm Selixd is helping her," Kaless said, coldly.

Inarau stopped, returned on her heels and laughed shortly. "That Halfling is no threat to us. He may be able to see ghosts, but that doesn't mean he can help them. He couldn't even help the woman he loved, remember?"

"I won't un-estimate him," Kaless warned. "I knew my nephew. He is stubborn and will do anything to get his way."

"Wait! Nephew! Mal's your nephew?" Of course I didn't get an answer, but now I was beyond confused. And what did Inarau mean by Halfling?

Inarau thought for a moment and then shrugged, turning back the little library. "It doesn't matter because in three days' time, I will be completely connected to this body and that little ghost will be gone forever."

My mind seemed to be filling up with questions that come right out of my mouth in a panic. "Wait! Three days and I'm dead? Like for real? And what do you mean Halfling? Mal's only half vampire? He's too strong to be half!"

Suddenly Kaless turned my way and though I knew he couldn't see me, I knew he could hear me.

"Crap!" I sighed unable to stop myself.

"She's here," Kaless told Inarau, calmly, his eyes searching for me.

"You can hear her thoughts?" Inarau asked, interested.

Kaless shook his head. "No. I can only hear her when she speaks."

Anger exploded through me. I didn't have to be afraid of these people, I thought, stupidly. They couldn't hurt me. "Give me back my body and go to hell," I yelled, coming closer to them.

Kaless laughed, softly.

"What did she say?" Inarau asked.

"She says she wants her body back and that you should go to hell," Kaless replied with an amused smile.

"I've already been there, darling," Inarau said, sweetly, her eyes searching for me too. "But don't worry, you'll enjoy it there."

"I'm not going there, you whore. I am going to find a way to kill you!" I growled.

Kaless took offense to this, since he was the only one who could see me. He hissed at me, baring his fangs. "You will not speak to her like that."

"Why? It's not like she can hear me!" I glanced beyond them and saw a sword on the floor. An exciting feeling filled my chest. I could kill her right now, if I could just force myself to pick up that sword. I walked through Kaless who shivered and spun around, facing me angrily. I knelt down beside the sword. "Oh, please work. Think of mom."

"What work?" Kaless questioned.

I gripped the hilt of the sword and using the rage that was brought with the death of my mother, I picked it up, facing my body and the vampire. I knew killing Inarau, would probably kill me as well, but now I didn't care. "I may die, but I am taking both you with me."

Kaless stared shocked at what to him looked like a floating sword, but Inarau started to clap, slowly and calmly. A strange smile pulled on her lips. "You're a fast learner. It's only be a day and you've learned how to pick up objects and transport. But sadly you haven't learned fast enough." She suddenly waved her hands in a strange motion and said, "I banish you from this place, evil spirit."

I felt a force push me out of the building, blinding me for a moment, coursing pain through my spirit until I opened my eyes and realized that I was back in Mal's apartment, on the floor, the sword gone from my hand.

I laid there, feeling like an idiot. I was an idiot. If I hadn't said anything and just killed her, I would be freed from this torment. But it didn't matter now. I had a sinking feeling in my gut that whatever she did to me, I would not be able to go back to this place, nor find her.

I also knew that despite all the things I had learned, I only had three days left to live.

Three days left of being a ghost.

**Review!**


	7. Chapter 7: Learning and Yelling

**Hi, sorry for the long wait, but I wanted this chapter to be alittle longer. So enjoy and review and tell me what you think. A little more than update would be nice.**

Chapter 7

Mal's Pro

When I came back to my apartment, I was surprised to find that Andria wasn't there and the boy was still unconscious on the couch. Dammit! What does she think she's doing, leaving this boy here with me? She does realize I hate humans, right? She better come back or…

I stopped in mid-thought, a smile coming to my lips. Or maybe she is gone? Like in gone-gone? Cross over to the other side kind of gone. That would be so nice.

But then again, that is a little too much to ask for. She's probably got bored and is floating around somewhere or nowhere.

I watched the boy for a moment and after realizing he wasn't going around where, took a long shower and dressed in some different clothes. Clothes that didn't have dried blood on them and were clean. Though I tried to keep my mind clear, it continually shifted back to Andria. Questions about her actually began popping up in my mind. Questions like where did she learn to fight? And why did she hate vampires so much?

I would always force them away, but she kept on creeping back into the front of my head.

Damn girl.

I stepped out of the bathroom, completely dressed, running my fingers through my wet hair. "If I had just ignored her at the club, I won't be in this mess! I would be free and my life would be…" I trailed off as I found a pair of eyes, staring at me.

I met the eyes. It was the boy. He had woken up and he was staring at me, scared and ready to run. He looked a lot like his older sister that was for sure, but he was also a lot smaller than her. He didn't stop staring at me. "What are you looking at?" I snapped.

He jerked as if snapping out of a spell and then sprinted to the door. I rushed after him, knowing that Andria would kill me if I lost her little brother and I like my life, when I'm not seeing ghosts. "You're not going anywhere," I warned. I went to go grab him, but he was smaller than I realized and slipped right out of my arms. He opened the door and made a run for it. Stupid boy, trying to out run a vampire. I easily caught him, snatching him by the collar of his shirt. I lifted him off the ground as he wildly kicked and hit. He couldn't reach me though. I knew just by his size and his weak strength that something was physically wrong with him.

"Let me go!" he yelled, trying to struggle out of my grasp.

"You're not going anywhere," I said. "So stop struggling."

But he didn't, he actually began to fight even harder and punched me in the face, though it didn't hurt. It was like getting hit with a pillow. "Never!" he screamed.

Just then the door down the hall opened up and out stepped old Miss Wilson. She was short and wrinkly and had ears like a hawk. "Not now," I grumbled under my breath, cursing.

"Malcolm, what are you doing to that poor boy!" she asked, wobbling over to me with her wooden cane in one hand. She wasn't a threat, but she could make a lot of noise if she wanted to and I did not want to draw attention to myself.

"Oh, nothing, Miss Wilson. Just babysitting," I explained with a warm smile. "He just woke up and didn't remember where he was."

"Put me down!" the boy yelled.

I ignored him and continued to speak with Miss Wilson. "Don't worry. I'll take good care of him."

The old lady snorted. She didn't believe a word I said, but then again that's old people for you. They are either slowly losing it or as smart and as crafty as hell.

"Really, he's just a bit upset, because his sister's not here," I said and the boy immediately stopped struggling and fear flashed across his face.

He looked up at me with big eyes. "Andria's here?"

"She's going to be and she'll be very angry if you're not," I hissed through my teeth. The boy didn't say anything else and he didn't struggle anymore. I turned back to Miss Wilson. "See, he's fine. Good day."

Miss Wilson sneered in reply, giving me the stink eye before wobbling back to her apartment and shutting the door. Damn old people. Can't they just die? I silently laughed to myself. Good thing vampires don't age like humans or we would be a lot grumbler and a lot crafter. Humans would have died out a long time ago if we did. I walked backing into my apartment, still holding the kid in mid-air. The moment I shut the door, he started struggling again. "What do you mean Andria's going to be here? How do you know my sister's name? My sister would never ever talk to a guy like you!"

"What do you mean she would never talk to me?" I asked interested. The more I knew about Andria, the better advantage I had over her.

The boy stopped struggling and shrugged, still hanging in the air. "She's never been good with guys. She either can't talk to them or she just yells and threats them. She doesn't let guys touch her either. She's hasn't even been kissed before."

"Interesting. I won't picture her like that," I said. "Though, I agree she does love to yell and threaten."

The boy looked at me with a confused expression. "Wait, how long have you known my sister?"

"Oh, about a day." There was no point in lying to the kid, he would just know I was lying anyways.

He just seemed even more confused by this, going deep into thought. He hung there for a few long moments, in silence and then looked up me with a small smile. "Uh, can you put me down now?"

"Are you going to run?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"Alright there, but behave." I slowly put him down and he is collapsed to the floor, his weak legs giving out from underneath his weight. He was a small boy. He slowly stood up and brushed himself off when his stomach grumbled. He clenched it, his cheeks blushing red.

"You hungry?" I guessed.

He nodded.

"Follow me. Hopefully I have some food." I walked into the kitchen and the kid followed me, not even glancing back at the door.

"What do you mean hopefully? You need to eat, don't you?" he questioned. He seemed have had trust in me to not to try to run again.

I glared back at him. "Do you want to eat or not?"

"No, I do." He took a seat on a stool at the bar and watched me go through the cumbers. With each cumber I opened, I found it empty. No food. Dammit, I needed to go shopping. It's not like vampires needs food, but we can still eat it and taste it. It's good if you want to act human or just pass the time. After a few long moments, the boy started to talk again. "So…where did you meet Andria?"

"Behind a night club," I answered, still searching through my cumbers, but still all I found with nothing, expect some wine but I was not about to waste my hundred year old bottles on wine on this boy, even if he was drinking age.

"What was she going there?"

"Being a hooker."

An expression of panic and horror crossed his face and I smirked, looking up at him. "That was a joke."

"Oh," he replied slowly. "Right."

"Dammit," I hissed under my breath. I slammed the last cumber and marched over to the living room, grabbing my jacket and wallet.

"What are you doing?" the kid asked, following me.

"What does it look like? I'm out of food, so we're going to Subway," I explained. "Well…are you going to just stand there or are you coming?"

"No, I'm coming, but what about Andria? Shouldn't we wait for her?" he said, concerned.

I shrugged, reaching the door. "She'll find us if she needs to. She's good at that."

The boy hesitated and then followed me out the door and out of the apartment building. Subway was only a block away and while we walked there, either of us spoke. The kid seemed too distracted with trying to figure out where he was at. He quickly fell behind and I have to stop for him to catch up. "Keep up. No need to be slow," I said, looking down at him.

He only nodded, but he was out of breath, his chest shaking. He was a sickly kid. I could smell it on him. No need to kill the boy by walking too fast. I slowed my pace for him and when we got to the subway, we quickly ordered and took a seat in the back of the place. I slowly began to unwrap my sandwich when I asked, "So, your sister, Andria? Tell me more about her?"

The kid shook his head. "Names first. Or should I just call you kidnapper because I don't know you and I don't have the slightest clue who you are."

I laughed. Smart kid. "Malcolm."

"Tommy," he replied.

A strange thought suddenly accrued to me. His mother died last night; shouldn't he be mourning or something? "Do you remember anything from last night, Tommy?"

Tommy blinked, thinking and then slowly shook his head. "No why?"

I shrugged, taking a bit of my sandwich. "No reason."

"Liar."

"What?"

"I said you're a liar as in your lying," he said, calmly, unwrapping his sandwich.

I place my sandwich down. "And how would you know that? Mindreader, are we?"

"No," he said. "You made the same expressions when you're lying as my sister does…I mean use to," he explained.

"What do you mean use to?" I asked, even though I knew that there was someone else controlling Andria' body. I wanted to find out more about Andria. She was interesting, when she wasn't yelling and I couldn't get her out oh my head.

"I mean she came home from summer camp different. She came home, knowing how to lie better, but she was also nicer but more secretive than ever. She started dressing funny, having boys over, no more late nights, no more strange blood on her clothes," Tommy explained. "I may be young but I'm not stupid. She's not my sister…well not the sister, I grow up with. She's different and…I don't know. She's not Andria."

"That's for sure, the real Andria is as annoying as hell," I added.

"Wait, I thought you said you only meet my sister a day ago?"

"Are you going to eat or not?" I snapped, avoiding the question. Tommy looked at his sandwich and then slowly took a bite. A smile grew on his face and within thirty second, the sandwich was gone. "You were really hungry?" I said, surprised a kid his size could down that sandwich that fast.

He nodded as he opened up his some bag of chips.

"So, tell me about your family? Any other siblings, mom, dad?" I asked, even though I knew his mom was already dead. I wanted to know what had caused Andria to become a vampire hunter in the first place.

"No other siblings. Just my mom, Andria and me."

"What? Your dad walked out on you?"

Tommy leaped out of seat, his face red and his fists tight. "No, he was murdered."

"Didn't mean to offend you, I just wouldn't think that he would be murdered," I said, calmly. "It's not something that happens a lot." Lie.

The kid relaxed, sitting back down. "Sorry, for snapping."

"No, it's okay. So he was murdered, how?" I was now using my vampire powers to make him talk to me. It wasn't a hard trick, and most vampires had. It was like charm speaking. You just ask nicely and they'll tell you.

He shrugged, sadly. "I don't remember. I was there, but I was only four. We were at the fair and mom wasn't with us, she had to work or something, I don't remember. We were having a good time and then we went into this tent. It was dark and something about it wasn't right. I saw three men but not their faces and suddenly I was flying through the air and I hit a metal pole. I was in a wheel chair for four years after that. I don't know what exactly happened to my dad, but Andria does. She wouldn't even tell the police after. She still hasn't told anyone. You try to talk to her about, she just shut down." He stopped, sighing.

So that's it. Her father got killed by some vampire thugs and she watched it. There have been lesser causes for becoming a vampire hunter, but what exactly happened to her? What did she do to survive against not just one vampire, but possibly three, if this kid remembers it right?

I guess I am just going to have to ask her.

Andria's pro

I had three days and then I would be gone, like for real. No more living. No more breathing…well I wasn't doing that not, but still; I'm not even going to be a ghost anymore. I'll just be gone. Another person disappearing into the billions that have died before me.

It took me a few minutes to completely come to the reality of this before I slowly stood up. Pain shot through my spin, but it quickly vanished. Wow, Inarau knew her magic, meaning she was an either some evil spirit or a witch. I'm leaning towards the witch.

Dammit, I have no idea how to fight against magic.

I glanced at the couch and fond Tommy gone. I panicked. I had only be gone for maybe an hour, right? I glanced up at the clock. SIX HOURS! I had been gone for six hours. It was 1:00 pm. That's not possible…unless…I sighed…you're a ghost.

Damn, I hate being a ghost.

Just then the door opened and laughter filled the room. Mal and my brother walked in with smiles on their faces and bags of food in their arms. "Then what happened?" Mal asked, laughing hard.

"The table collapsed and the cake went fighting. Landed right on top of her, dying her hair pink and blue for a month and…oh, that was also the last time she wore a bikini," Tommy explained.

"Why?" the vampire asked, a grin spreading further and further across his face.

"Tommy!" I screamed, forgetting he couldn't hear me or see me. How dare he tell that story to this creep!

My brother continued with the story. "Let's just say, her top didn't exactly stay on with a thirty pound cake falling on her head and chest."

Malcolm rolled in laughter. "I would pay good money to see that."

My face grew red with anger and embarrassment. That pool party is not something I like to relive in my head. I picked up one of the pillows on the couch and threw it at Mal, hitting him right in the jaw. He jerked up, looking at me with a long smirk. Tommy didn't seem to notice, still laughing. "What are you doing with my brother?" I asked almost shouting.

Mal didn't answer me, instead he turned to Tommy, handing him the brown bag. "Here. Take this to the kitchen. I've got a problem I have to take care of in my room."

"I am not a problem," I shouted.

Mal ignored me, still talking to my brother. "You can watch some TV if you want. I've got all kinds of movies and shows recorded."

Tommy smiled, taking the bag. "Can I have some ice-cream?"

"Yeah, just don't make yourself sick," Mal warned, before throwing a glare at me and walking towards his room. I followed, walking right through the door even as it was slammed in my face.

Mal was the first to speak, his mood changing from laughter to serious. "So, where did you pop of to?"

"Why do you care? And I am not a problem." I wasn't about to tell him, that I had only three days left. He would never help me if I did. He would just wait it out.

"Yes, you are a problem and I care because you left me with your little brother," he said, keeping his voice low, so Tommy wouldn't hear him talking to himself. "So tell me where you went?"

"I don't have to tell you anything," I growled. "You're not the boss of me."

"No, but you're not getting back into your body without my help, so tell me now," Mal warned, stepping closer to me.

I sighed. I wasn't going to win this argument. "I went to see Inarau."

"Who?"

"Inarau. The stupid prick who's controlling my body along with her mindreader lover, Kaless."

Malcolm flinched at the name, Kaless. "Did you just say Kaless?"

"Yes, you're uncle, right?"

"He's not my uncle by blood," he said through his teeth, his shoulders tight and his eyes dark.

"Oh, right. You're just a Halfling," I sneered and Mal suddenly charged me, touching me again, but this time, it hurt me. A strange pain coursed through my arms as he pinned me against the wall, making me solid. Again, I had no idea how he was doing this, but he was and it hurt. He glared down at me, his eyes dark and his fangs sharp.

"Don't you dare belittle me, little girl!" he threatened. "You're just some little human whose daddy got killed by thugs. Vampire thugs, but still just thugs."

I blinked back, shocked. How did he know about that?

"What nothing to say?" he said with a twist grin.

"I'll tell you about what happened to my father when you tell me what happened to the woman to you loved?" I threatened back.

Mal suddenly let go, stepping back. The pain disappeared as he did. "How do you know about that?"

"It's amazing what you can hear, when no one can see you."

"It's amazing how fast I could snap your brother's neck."

"You won't dare."

He stepped closer to me again, wanting to look down on me. Damn, I hate that he's so tall. "Try me," he hissed.

"I won't let you," I replied.

"What how are you going to stop me? Huh? You're just a ghost who can be scared off by a little salt."

I opened my mouth to say something that would have involved a lot of cussing when I stopped, realizing that doing this, was getting us nowhere. Arguing about things that didn't really matter for the tasks ahead. It was a waste of time and my time was limited. I exhaled, taking a step back. I was calming myself and preparing myself for what I had to say next. This was no going to come out easy.

"What?" Mal said, surprised and still angry. "No comeback or do you just think I'm not worth your time anymore because that would be great…"

"I'm sorry," I said in barely a whisper, but I knew he could hear me.

He froze, staring at me stunned. "What did you just say?"

"You heard what I said and I will not be repeating myself. I shouldn't have brought up the thing about the woman to you loved or called you a Halfling," I said, forcing the words out of me. "I had no right."

"Why? Why say you're sorry?"

"Because though we hate each other and want each other dead, what we want more is each other out of each other's lives. I don't want to be here with you and you don't want me here, but if we don't stop arguing and at least try to work together, we are going to be stuck like this. You'll be stuck that insane hot guy who talks to himself and I'll be…"

"A hell of annoying ghost," he finished, understanding what now needed to happen.

I threw him a glare, but he just brushed it off, calming down. "Something like that."

He slowly nodded, sitting on the end of the bed. "You're right, sadly. So what do we do, beside argue and annoy each other?"

"Find Inarau and either reverse the spell she had over my body or…kill her."

"Killing her would most likely end in your death, you do realize that?" Mal asked, making sure I understood.

"Yeah, but if it will keep her away from trying to kill me brother, I'll do it," I admitted, knowing full-well that he would probably take advantage of me saying that.

"Find by me."

"But first we need to find her," I added.

"Well, you found her once, so just wiggled that cute butt of yours and do your little ghosty thing and get us to her," he said with a smirk.

I scowled at his remark, but he just grinned, eyeing me before laying back on the bed hands behind his hand. He looked nice, stretched out with his long sexy legs in front of him.

"Like what you see?" he asked, throwing me a sly smile. At least he's back to himself, more or less.

I snorted in disgust. "What's there to like?"

"A lot, if I let you," he replied.

Slightly annoyed, I sat on the bed too. "How are you able to touch me?" I asked. It was something that had been on my mind for awhile.

He shrugged, closing his eyes. "It comes with seeing ghosts, I guess."

"Right." Minutes suddenly passed as I thought and then I realized that he was falling asleep. I nudged him, knowing how to touch things and people now. "No sleeping."

"I haven't slept for over twenty-four hours," he complained.

"And who's fault is that?"

"Yours," he replied.

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. "Right everything is my fault. So are you going to help? Or are you going to just lay there?"

"I'm just waiting for you to take us to her," he said, "And then I'll help."

"I can't."

He sat up on his elbows. "What?"

"I can't," I repeated.

"What do you mean you can't?"

"I mean when I was just there, she sort of banished me," I said, sheepishly.

"What do you mean banished? How did she ever know you were there?"

"Kaless can hear me when I speak, because he's a mindreader and I speak my mind," I explained, very slowly.

"So if you could shut up, you would have been fine?" Mal laughed. It was a true laugh, not dark or seductive, but real. It was nice, but it shouldn't be. I shouldn't think his laugh is nice! "Well maybe you could learn to shut up, you would have had your first kiss by now."

I looked at him, baffled. "How do you know that?"

"Your brother really likes to talk when he starts going," he said. "He talked my ear off."

"So that's how you knew about my dad?"

Mal nodded. "So what exactly happened?"

I quickly stood up, avoiding the question and changing the subject. "Now I can't go back to where Inarau is at, but I could probably take us to a place near it."

Mal rolled his eyes, standing up in a smooth motion. "Alright. Let's go, so I can get the human out of my house."

"Uh, maybe you should tell him that you're going, so he just doesn't think you disappeared through the window," I said.

"We're only the seven story."

"Exactly."

He sighed, irritated but agreed. He went into the living room where Tommy sat on the couch watching a movie. It was Batman Begins. I laughed at this. He had seen that movie at least 100 times. "I have to go out," Mal explained. "I am going to meet up with your sister. I might be awhile."

"Okay," Tommy said. "Just don't get her angry."

Mal glanced at me and then said with a smile, "Wouldn't dream of it."

"Right, I wouldn't dream of yelling at you," I added. We walked to the door and left. We stood in the hallway for a moment and Mal looked unsure about this. "Don't worry. I should get us close to the house where I found her or we might go to New York," I said, joking, but he didn't lose amused. I slowly grabbed his forearm, focusing on being able to grip him. "Oh, light up."

"That's easy for you to say, you don't weigh anything, you're a ghost," he said.

I laughed at this comment. He was right. He looked confused too and almost happy. "You're right. I don't weight anything." And I smiled. A really smile. Funny. I shouldn't be smiling and laughing with a vampire, not like this. I shook my head. "Ready?" I didn't wait for a reply. I forced all my energy, closed my eyes and felt a jolt go through me.

When I opened my eyes, we were outside on the edge of town where the forest started. We stood on the side of the road, while a car sped by. "Where are we?" I asked.

"Near the forest," Mal stated.

I slapped him upside the head, but not hard. "I know that, idiot. I meant where exactly?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" he said, rubbing his head. "Did you really have to hit me?"

"Do you really have to be annoying?"

"Yeah, and a vampire, and a smooth talker and dropped dead gorgeous…" He trailed off as a car hit him, sending him flying into a tree.

"Malcolm!" I yelled as he hit the ground with a hard thump. The car stopped, turning off and out stepped the last person in the world, I was expecting to see. A guy stepped out the car, 6'2, dark spiky blond hair, summer tanned and dark brown eyes. He had a long dagger in his hand that had dry blood on it. It was dead man's blood. The guy was a vampire hunter and he was a year older than me.

He marched towards Mal who was just starting to stand up, in pain from slamming into a tree. He was going to kill Mal, the only person who could see me, or Mal was going to kill him, my best friend. Before I could do anything, the guy charged Mal, going for his head. Mal leaped back, barely missing the blade. They were quickly in a heated battle, bouncing back and forth.

"No," I yelled rushing towards them. I stepped in between them, hands out to stop them both. "Don't kill each other!" I shouted as they rushed towards the other. But they never made it to, I stopped them. My hands pressed against both of their chests, they stopped and their eyes went to me. I looked up at Malcolm, shaking my head as into not to kill the human. I wasn't going to look at the other, because I knew he couldn't see me until he said my name.

"Andria," he said with shock, his focus completely off Mal.

I stared at him, dumbfound. "You can see me?"

"Ghosts can make themselves seen to the living, it just takes the right motivation," Mal said. "Who the hell is he?"

"This is Rick, my vampire hunter partner."


	8. Chapter 8: Believe

** Long time but here it is. Hope you like it. I tpyed it rather fast, since I have finals this week so. Enjoy!**

Chapter 8

"Vampire hunter partner?" Mal exclaimed in disbelief, his eyes back on Rick. "This guy is your best friend!"

"More or less. Why? Do you have a problem with it?" I asked, my hands still stopping them from killing each other.

"Yes I have a problem with it. You're both frickin vampire hunters and you're both humans, so yeah, I might have a little problem," he exclaimed.

"I thought you didn't classify me as human?"

"No, you're under the make Mal's life a living hell category," he shouted.

"Hungry, are we?" Rick hissed in disgust.

"No," Mal said through his teeth, "Tired, thanks to this crazy…Ow."

I hit him upside the head. "Stop complaining." I slowly faced Rick. "Can you still see me?"

He slowly nodded and then said, "Is that really you?" There was concern in his voice, but only someone who knew him could hear it.

I nodded.

"So are you…"

"Dead?" I finished. "It wished it was that simple." I suddenly felt a jolt through my body and Rick jerked back in surprised, ready to fight. "Great, you can't see me."

"I wish I couldn't see you," Mal complained and I hit him again. "Will you please stop!" he sneered, stumbling on his feet. "I have done nothing wrong."

"You're a vampire, you're always done something wrong," Rick and I both said, together, though he couldn't hear me.

"Wow, that was creepy," Malcolm admitted, glancing at me and then at Rick and then back to me.

"What? That I'm just standing here and not attacking you?" Rick asked, daggers of hatred glaring at him.

"No, that you both said the same exact thing at the same exact time," Mal explained.

"Wait, how do I know this isn't a trick? How do I know this isn't some vampire trick?" Rick said, his weapon tight in his hand once again.

"Please if this was a trick, you would be dead already. But she won't let me kill you," Mal exclaimed. "Oh, don't give me that look," he said to me. I was glaring at him and I almost smiled when he threw me a smirk.

"What look?" I questioned.

"That look," he said. "That I have no idea what you're talking about look."

"What? I am not giving you that look," I argued.

"Well, I've never meet a completely insane vampire," Rick snorted, amused.

"I am not insane!" Mal shouted. "Do you want me to prove that it's your crazy vampire hunter partner? Because I think she did a pretty good job herself."

"Even if I did believe that that was Andria's ghost and I don't…" Rick paused, meaning that he partly did believe. "Explain why I saw Andria last night and she wasn't dead."

"Yeah, okay that's a bit difficult to explain. It was Andria's body you saw last night, but not her spirit. She sort of got kicked out of her living space, meaning a different spirit or person is possessing her. And that is the person you saw, just Andria' body, not the real her. The real her is constantly following me around, because I'm the only damned soul that can see her," Mal explained, very calmly.

Rick lowered his guard a little, but I saw what he was truly doing. I knew how his mind worked. I knew him. He secretly reached for his small bag of dead man's blood in his pocket and was planning on spraying it at Mal's face in an attempt to blind him, momentarily. "Alright, maybe I believe you. Andria has been acting strange lately," Rick confessed.

"He doesn't believe you," I said, studying him.

"What?" Mal replied.

"Mal, slowly start backing up. He had a pouch of dead man's blood in his pocket, that he plans to spray at you, but while you're distracted, he'll rip his blade right up your chest," I explained, grimly.

"How do you know that?" Mal asked in a sideways whisper, his eyes still on Rick, who was talking like him and Malcolm were old friends.

"Because I trained him."

Rick went for the blood and sprayed it toward Mal, but I grabbed hold of the vampire and teleported him twenty yards away. I'm getting good at this ghost stuff. Rick rushed to Mal, blade ready to kill.

"He's not going to believe me," Mal said, his body ready for battle.

"Yeah, but he'll believe me," I said, knowing now what I had to do. I slowly began walking towards Rick.

"Andria what are you doing?" he asked.

I grinned. "I think Rick needs another training lesson." Mal smiled back and leaned against the car, arms crossed.

Rick rushed towards Mal, and I clothes-lined him, knocking him to the ground. He landed with a loud thump but he was quickly on his feet. He stared at Mal in bewilderment and slowly started to back away, thinking of a different way to attack, but I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "Oh, no, boy. You ain't goin anywhere," I said. I yanked him back, facing him face me. See me, I thought. You can see me.

He blinked surprised, his blade up again, but this time pointed at me.

"Oh, so now you can see me," I growled angry. "Men are so stubborn." I threw a glare at Mal when I said this.

Rick took advantage of this and his blade came down on me, but I saw it coming from a mile away. I caught his wrist, glaring at him. "You've got to be faster than that," I said and twisted his wrist and then I did a move that I knew would change his mind about me. I pulled him forward and used his body to do a backflip, my heel hitting him in the jaw. The blade dropped from his hand and he went flying back, hitting the ground harder than he had the first time. He didn't get up as fast this time. He grumbled and groaned, slowly standing in pain.

I, on the other hand, landed perfectly. It had taken years for me to master that move and it always caught people off guard.

"Now that was awesome," Mal exclaimed. "Do you think you could teach me?"

I rolled my eyes. It wasn't something you could learn over night, but for a vampire, maybe. Rick stood, holding his side and wiping some blood off of his lip. He was staring at me. "There is only one person I know who can do that move," he said. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Oh, now you believe?" Mal exclaimed in disbelief.

"I know my teacher," Rick admitted, looking at me with a small smile.

"And I know my student. As stubborn as hell and slow to believe," I added.

"Funny, reminds me of someone," Mal mocked and I hit him upside his head, but this time he didn't complain, he just took it with a smile? Was that a smile on his face? Did he like this?

I felt my body jolt again and I knew once again Rick would be unable to see me. Rick's attention turned to Mal and for moment I feared that he was going to attack him again, but he didn't. "You can still see her and hear her?" he asked the vampire.

Mal nodded.

"What happened to her?"

So, we told him and when I mean we, I mean that I told Mal and he summarized. He did a good job at it too, adding in things that I had completely forgotten about. Funny, the things he added in, I didn't remember until he said something about it. I tried to think back over the past few days and it didn't feel like days, it felt…I don't know. It was like it was fuzzy.

When Mal finished, it took Rick a moment before he spoke. "I thought something was wrong with Andria. I just didn't know what," he confessed. "But now, that actually makes sense. So, you're the only one who can see her?"

"Yeah, and that's why she wouldn't leave me alone," Mal dragged out.

"If you knew someone else that can see ghosts, I would," I said.

Mal rolled his eyes. "Right, because that's what I do in my spare time. I get together with all the other freaks that can see ghosts."

"It would be good to know who else can see ghosts," I grumbled.

"It's not something you go around asking people," Mal argued back.

"Will you stop arguing," Rick interrupted, even though he could only hear Mal.

"She started it," Mal hissed.

My face turned pale in anger. I don't get red. No body. No blood. No blushing. "I started it? You…"

"What are you doing here?" Rick asked.

"We were tracking Inarau, so I can get rid of this problem," Mal explained.

"Really? I'm still a problem?" I snapped.

"Oh, will you just shut up for a moment. Do you want to be stuck like this?" Mal said, angry.

I swallowed and humbled myself. "No. I'll be quiet."

"Thanks." Mal sighed, relaxing. "Andria found her earlier today, but Inarau banished her, so she can't go directly back to her, but she can get close."

"Banished? What do you mean by banished?" Rick questioned.

"Well, we think Inarau's a witch, or at least I do. It sounds like a witch. The witches were always trying to pull spells like this four hundred years ago, expect they were trying the spells with vampire bodies," Mal stated.

"What happened?"

There was a grim smile on Malcolm's face. "There is a reason why they were all killed. The Empire was going to leave them alone until they started killing vampires."

"Humans kill vampires?" I questioned.

"Yeah, but you're not as much as a threat as witches. They didn't need to chop off our heads. They could just snap their fingers instead and we would blow up," Mal explained.

"So you think this Inarau, girl who is controlling Andria's body is a witch?" Rick clarified.

Mal shrugged. "Probably. I wouldn't be surprised."

"What are you doing out here, Rick?" I asked, forgetting he couldn't hear me.

"She asked why you are out here?" Mal asked.

Rick snorted, walking to the driver side door of his car. "Looking for Tommy. Andria…I mean Inarau told me he was missing and he has taken the bus out this way to the lakes a few times before when he wants to be alone."

"Don't worry about Tommy. He's safe," Mal said.

Rick gave him a questioning look, wiping the blood off his lip with a cloth. "How do you know that?"

"Because I'm the only who saved his life."

Rick laughed. "Right. I can't see you saving a life."

"He maybe a human, but he's a kid," Mal growled back, tension in the air once again.

"Calm down, Mal…" I trailed off into a groan, my stomach suddenly hurting. Something was wrong. Very wrong. It wasn't me. It was something else. Something that I care about. The pain grew worse.

"Andria," Malcolm asked and I swore I heard concern in his voice. "What's wrong?"

The pain grew worse and I fell to the ground.

"What is it? What's going on?" Rick asked, alarmed.

"It's Andria. Something's…wrong," Mal said, kneeing down beside me. "Andria, is it the same overpowering feeling like last night?"

I shook my head. "No, this is different…" I swallowed my throat tight. "It's like…"

"Cramps?" he asked.

I glared at him, clenching my stomach. "I'm a ghost."

"Sorry, I don't exactly know what ghosts go through," Mal said, his hands rose in defense.

"It's more like someone else…is in trouble." The realization hit me. "Tommy. What time is it?"

"I don't know. Rick, what time is it?" Mal asked.

Rick looked at his phone. "4:33."

"4:33? We were just at my apartment, less than twenty minutes ago and it was only 1:30! How is that possible?" Mal shouted.

"Welcome to ghost time, where time really doesn't make sense," I said through clenched teeth. The pain was killing me. "We need to go back to your apartment. Tommy is trouble." I slowly stood, forcing the pain away.

"How do you know that?" Mal questioned, standing with a hand ready to steady me if I fell.

I shook my head. "I just do. You're going back and he's coming with us." I reached towards Rick and grabbed him and he could suddenly see me again.

"No!" Mal objected. "I don't want this anywhere near my home."

"What is he talking back?" Rick asked.

"Tommy's in danger. He's back at Mal's apartment," I explained, the pain coming back.

"You left your little brother back in this monster's apartment?" Rick asked in disgust, looking at Mal like he was a plague.

"Yes and Mal is not a monster," I said and I could feel Mal's eye on me, surprised. "Tommy doesn't remember last night. He doesn't realize that our mother died. I thought Mal's place would be save, but now…I think he's in trouble."

"Then we had no time to waste. Jump in the car. I'll drive…" Rick went for the car, but I didn't let go of him and I grabbed on to Mal's hand.

"Oh no," Mal said with a smirk. "You're going to get there the fun way."

Rick looked back me, unsure. "I don't think I like the fun way…"

I quickly thought of Mal's apartment before anyone else to object and I felt a jolt through my body and when I looked again, we were in the hall of Mal's building. Rick could no longer see me and looked around wildly, balancing himself against the wall. "Nope, I didn't like the fun way," he admitted. "I feel sick."

I laughed softly and then fell forward, exhausted.

"Andria, are you okay?" Mal asked, kneeing by me.

What is up with his sudden concern for me?

Shouldn't he be happy that I am in pain or disappearing?

What is in his eyes that made me feel guilty?

I forced myself to stand. "Fine, just tired. Probably shouldn't be teleporting so many people around." The pain was still in my stomach.

"Right," he said but he didn't believe it. He left and walked over to the door of his apartment only to find it broken down. "Damn it." We all walked in to find the entire place trashed. The TV was broken, the couch was filled over. Though beside the TV, not much was broken, just thrown across the room.

I panicked, but the pain stopped. "Tommy!" I screamed. No reply.

"Look everywhere. He has to be here," Mal ordered and Rick nodded, unhappy to be taking orders from a vampire, but still, this was Tommy's life on the line. Rick went to the kitchen and Mal went to the bedroom. I followed Mal.

"Tommy," Mal called out as he searched in the closet and under the bed. As we searched and found not a trace of him, I began to break inside.

I felt myself finally breaking down inside and I couldn't hold it in. "Not my brother. Not him. First my dad and then my mom, oh, please don't let him be dead."

Mal turned around and grabbed hold of my hand. A sweet tingling coursed through me. "He's not dead. We will find him, don't worry."

His words shouldn't have comforted me, but they did. I slowly nodded. "But what if…"

"He's alive."

"But…"

"Shh," he cut me off.

"What?"

"Do you hear that? It's coming from the bathroom." He let go of my hand and the sweet feeling stopped. He walked into the bathroom and laughed. "Found him," he called out, relieved.

If I had a heart right now, it would have exploded, that was just hope much joy I had the moment. I walked over and watched as Mal, pulling Tommy through the window. He had been hanging outside on the side of the building. Mal held him tightly, his little body trembling. Mal smiled. "Smart kid. The one place, they wouldn't look."

Tommy smiled weakly, clearly out of strength. "I just couldn't climb back up."

Rick came into the room and instantly took Tommy, not trusting Mal at all. Mal frowned at this, but hedidn't argue. "How long were you hanging outside?" Rick asked.

"Twenty minutes…thirty. I don't know. I hear them come in when I was in the bathroom and I hide. I don't know how, but I knew they were after me," Tommy explained. He was quickly falling asleep, his body giving out. In seconds he was out.

I cried happily, though no tears came out, my chest did become heavy. "That's my smart brother."

Mal glanced at me with a relieved smile and kind eyes. It looked nice on him. "He has an even smarter sister."

I smile crooked and if I could blush. I would have. I don't understand the feelings going through me at the moment, but I didn't care either. Tommy was safe and that was all that matter.

"I think he should come with me," Rick suggested. "He will be safer."

Mal nodded. "Good idea and that means Andria and I can look for Inarau without looking after him."

"What? No!" I objected.

"Yes," Mal said, calmly. "He will be safer with Rick. I can't watch him and neither can you. You have to find your body, so you can really be with your little brother."

I sank back, knowing he was right. Rick handed Mal a little piece of paper with a number on it. "Call if you need help or Andria gets her body back."

"Right." Mal nodded.

"I'll take good care of your brother, Andria. I promise," Rick said to me and then he left with Tommy asleep in his arms.

I watched as he walked out and left. "But I don't want him to leave."

"It's for the best," Mal said and then he slowly began picking up.

"I know," I whispered, hugging myself and then to myself I said, "But it might be the last time I see him."

**By the way, thanks to all the reviews and I was hungry for subway the day I wrote the other chapter, so you're not the only one. Please review and share.**


	9. Chapter 9: The past

**Thanks for the reviews. I was so happy that I quick typed this and didn't go through it. So if there are a lot of grammar mistakes, don't blame me. Well blame me but don't hate me. Enjoy. This is my favorite chapter, so far. Please review because It makes me happy.**

Chapter 9

Mal:

I cleaned up, but I had to stop when Andria wouldn't stop pacing back and forth through the walls and a few times through me. I throw a pillow back on my bed and I faced Andria. "Will you please stop pacing?" I asked. "And maybe do something?"

She stopped. "Like what?"

I sighed. "Look, I know you are worried about your brother, but he'll be fine."

"How can you say that?" she questioned, staring out the window.

"Because he's smart and has the sense of survival," I said. "You know who many kids, both vampires and humans, would have been smart enough and brave enough to hang on the side of the building to escape from kidnappers? Not a lot, but your brother did. He knew exactly what to do, despite his weak physical state. He's smart and that will keep him alive for a good long while."

Andria flashed at crooked smirk at me. "Is that a compliment out of your mouth?"

I smiled back, with a shrug, looking down at the ground. "I guess it is. Don't worry. He'll be fine."

"But it's not fair."

"What's not fair?" I asked.

"Tommy being thrown into this life," she answered, clearly anxious.

"So? You were younger when you became a hunter," I disagreed.

She got mad at this and stormed in front of me. "I didn't have a choice. It was either start that fire or die!" She instantly covered her mouth, taking a step back and wishing she had never said it.

But it was too late, my interest was sparked and so was my concern. Concern? What? No I wasn't…okay maybe a little, but that's it. "What fire, Andria?" I asked, approaching her.

She turned her back to me. "Drop it, Mal."

"You need to tell someone or it will destroy you inside," I said, knowing from personal experience that something like this could easily destroy her. I stretched out my hand, forgetting she was a ghost. She had become so real over the past almost two days, which sometimes I wished that she wasn't a ghost, but then I would have to kill her and a part of me told me I wouldn't be able to. She didn't reply back. "Andria." I automatically placed my hand on her shoulder, but instead of just dropping through, I felt a jolt through my body and when I opened my eyes I was somewhere else and she was nowhere to be seen.

I grumbled. "Crap." I should have seen that coming, but the strange thing was she wasn't with me. I was in a crowd of people at what looked like a fair. Where am I now? I walked around a person and glanced down at a newspaper at one of the booths. I sighed. Well at least I am still in California. I went to snatch it up but my hand just went through it. I jerked back and a woman walked right through me. I panicked. "No, no, no. I can't be a ghost. Vampires don't have ghosts," I argued to myself.

I looked back at the newspaper and my nerves relaxed for a brief moment. The date on the newspaper read July 27th, 2004. A new panic overcame me. I wasn't a ghost. I was in a memory. But who's memory was the real question?

A laugh rose above the roar of the crowd and I turned to see a little girl with long black hair and a painting of a skull of fire painted onto her right cheek. There was happy smile on her face. "Andria?" I asked.

No, this can't be…I walked over to her ignoring the people who passed through me. The little girl stood next to a very tall man who had the same blue eyes as her and long with the same smile. "Couldn't you get something girly?" the man asked, kneeing down to be eye to eye with the girl.

The girl stuck out her tongue. "Gross. Who wants to be girly?"

The man laughed, patting her on the head. "That's my girl."

"Where's Tommy?" she asked.

"He's coming, Andria. You need to learn some patience." The man stood up and placed the Face-painting booth.

"Oh, no," I said, walking around to Andria and looking down at her. She looked so cute and young. So happy and full of life. "This is the day your dad dies."

I watched her for a few moments as she stood there, bouncing with excitement. In minutes, I knew that somehow her dad would be ripped away from her. "You were just a kid," I said, feeling sorry for her. I may hate humans, but when it came to kids, it was different. Kids don't understand the world yet. They're innocent to almost everything. All they want to do is have fun and be happy. They don't care how. And when a kid thrown into the world of adults and darkness, it destroys them. It makes me sick.

I must have zoned out because when I looked again, I found Andria and her family walking to a tent. "No, don't go in there," I yelled, thought this was a memory and I could change nothing about it. I rushed towards her, but stopped by the tent flap. This was a private memory. I shouldn't be here. No, I said forcing myself into the tent. I need the advantage over her. I need to know.

Inside was dark, but I could still see. Tommy was already on the ground, unconscious, but still breathing. Andria was kneeing beside him, trying to wake him. Her dad was being held down by two vampires with another vampire towering over him with a long knife in one hand.

"Daddy!' Andria screamed, running towards him, but the vampire snatched her by her wrist. "Let me go!" she yelled, kicking and hitting with her other arm. It didn't do anything.

"Cute girl, you have here, Charles," the vampire said, bringing Andria close.

"Let her go," Andria's dad, Charles said. Wait did he knew this vampire? "She's not a part of this. She's just a child." In reply to his outburst, he got a foot in the chest and he slumped over, moaning in pain.

"Oh, but she is," the vampire hissed, amused. "Did you really think you could run? Did you think we wouldn't find you? You can't just run away."

"Fine. You're right. Now please let her go," Charles pleaded, love in his eyes for his daughter. What the hell was going on? There was more to this, then just what Andria remembers. "I'll back with you," he said.

The vampire laughed with Andria struggling even more. "I don't think you completely understand. We don't need you, if we have her."

Charles struggled to his feet, gripping his stomach. "No, she has nothing to do with this."

"Oh, but she does." The vampire turned to the others. "Make him suffer."

The beating began and as I watched even I flinched. No human being should be able to take all that they were giving to him. I glanced at Andria to see her reaction. Over 90% of kids would have screamed in horror, but not her. I saw that same spark as I did in the present her. Anger shook her body and she swung with all her might into the vampire's face. He instantly dropped her, now having a broken nose, but he quickly picked her back up.

He held her close. "You think that was funny?" The vampire's teeth grew big and sharp and his eyes turned deep red. Horror consumed Andria's face. The vampire squeezed her face and she squeaked with pain. I took a step forward, but then stopped. I couldn't help. I just had to watch. "You're going to pay for that," the vampire threated when Andria suddenly bit him, hard. She broke right through the skin and blood gusted. Now it might not seem like much, but when a vampire is bite, it hurts a lot more than a vampire biting a human.

The man dropped her again, but instead of running to the door, she ran towards the back, near some bottles and tubs of gasoline. She grabbed at bottle of gas and tossed it at the ground towards the vampire, soaking him. He laughed. "You're going to have to try better than that, little girl. We're not your normal under the bed monsters."

"But you're still a monster," she said, her hand reaching into her pocket. Her voice shook a little but beside that, she stood tall and strong.

"Oh, yes. I'll prove that." The vampire turned back to his buddies. "Eat him." The two vampires leaped on to her dad and instantly suck their teeth in. Andria gazed at her father as he screamed in pain, quickly dying. "You see. You're no match for us," the vampire said, slowly approaching her. He knew she had nowhere to go.

"But you're still a monster," she said, pulling out a lighter out of her pocket and lighting it. "And all monsters burn." She instantly tossed the lighter at the vampire and he burst into flames, screaming and running. The fool hadn't even realized that he was soaked in gas. The fire quickly spread to the rest of the tent, caught everything on fire. The two vampires holding Charles down, ran at the sight of fire, fearing for their own lives. Andria rushed towards her father, kneeing beside him and grabbing his hand.

"It's okay," she said, tearing rolling down her cheeks. "We'll get you out of here and you'll be all…"

Her dad squeezed her hand, blood dripping for his mouth and his neck. He was almost dead. "Andria. Run. Take your brother and run."

The fire grew closer to the gas. "But daddy…"

"Go now," he ordered, "And whatever you do don't look back."

I felt a suddenly jolt through my body and I was back in the present with older Andria staring straight at me. She knew what I had seen. I knew the rest of the story. She saved her brother, but her father…he never made it. A look of completely panicky horror overcame her face. "What did you do?!" she shrieked, no longer in control of her emotions.

"I didn't do anything. It was ghost thing," I said, quietly.

"You had no right!" she screamed and then she was gone.

I sighed, breathing. "I didn't mean to," I whispered quietly and then went back to cleaning.

Thirty minutes later….

I went looking for her. I didn't know where to look but even so I needed to think. I found her on the roof on the edge of the building, staring down. It was extremely windy, but unlike me that it pushed and pulled at, it didn't affect her. She just stood there was a cold plain expression her face, looking down. Was she deciding whether or not to jump? It wouldn't do anything good. She was a ghost.

"Andria," I called out. She didn't move, nor did she yell at me. "Andria? Are you going to ignore me?"

"Is it cold outside?" she strangely asked, still looking over the edge. It was a good ten story drop.

I shrugged, now standing beside her. "A little. Fall will be coming soon."

"I wish I could feel the wind again or the cold or the heat of the sun." She stopped. "How did you find me?"

"Complete guess." I putted my hands in my pockets, leaning back and breathing deep. I knew the wrong thing could set her off. "This is where I go when I want to be alone or think."

There was silence and I felt like I needed to speak. "I'm sorry…about your dad," I started quietly and she looked at me funny, her eyes red, but there were no tears.

"You? Sorry?" she cracked, with a small smile of disbelief.

"Don't seem so surprised. What happened to you wasn't right, nor was it fair. You shouldn't have been exposed to that at such a young age. Trust me, I know."

"Know what?" she sneered, returning to her old self.

"What's it like to see someone you love killed right in front of you." A memory of Quinn flashed in front of my eyes, but I forced it away. I couldn't think of her, right now. She was dead.

"Well, now both of my parents are dead and I wasn't able to protect either of them," she said, coldly.

This made me mad. "And when did it become your job to protect them?" I snapped, trying to make her angry. I didn't like this Andria. Broken and cold. I wanted the old Andria. The one who yelled for the fun of it and who would secretly check me out when she thought I wasn't looking. Though I did the same to her, she just hadn't figured it out yet.

"It became me job when I couldn't bear to see the ones I loved ripped away from me," she answered, stepping away from the edge. She pausing looking away from me. "Do you know why I became a vampire hunter?"

"For revenge?" I guessed. It was most people's answer.

"No," she replied through her teeth. "I did it to protect people. Innocent people, so they can live their happy normal lives. The vampire part I get. You need to drink blood, so what? It's just as bad as slaughtering cattle, the only difference is they can't talk or really fight back. The part that I hate and kill are the monsters. The monster vampires that are created through murder and power. They lose what makes them a person…Hell it happens to humans too. It will happen to anyone if they let it." She snorted a laugh. "I've even seen some vampire hunters become monsters and let's just say they ain't walking and talking anymore."

I was stunned. I had completely misjudged her. "You would kill your own kind?"

"I kill monsters. Answer me this question. Vampire or human, if you saw someone begin rape and beaten would you just stand there and watch or would you do something about it? Would you stand on the sidelines or would you put a bullet through his brains?" she asked, grimly.

It was a good question and no, I wouldn't just stand by and watch. I would do something about it. The picture of Quinn flashed across my mind again. I wouldn't just stand on the sidelines, not for anyone, vampire or human. A sudden thought occurred to me. "You had to do that didn't you?"

She slowly nodded. "Two years back, I killed Rick's older brother."

"He doesn't know, does he?"

"No."

"Are you going to tell me?" It wasn't a demand, but a request. I wanted to know, but I wasn't going to push her. I wanted to know and understand her and how she thought.

She slowly nodded and began. "We were tracking a lead about a vampire that had been changing people. The first two fresh vampires were completely brain-blown and were more zombie than vampire. We killed them after they killed a group of preschoolers. However, the third vampire was different. She wasn't brain-blown and had complete control over her thirst. She was even drinking from animals.

"The only reason why she wanted the change was because she was dying of cancer and didn't want to leave her widow mother. She wasn't a monster. She was an innocent young girl. Rick had gone off on another lead and it was just me and his brother, Britt, when we found the girl. She was nice and willing gave us answers, but she didn't know who or where the vampire who had changed her went. Britt didn't believe her. He started beating her and I had to pull him off of her. I saw the real monster then. Not the vampire, but the human.

"He pushed me away and told me to leave and he would get the real answers out of her. But I knew what he was planning on doing. He was going to rape her. It was his method of torture, he said. He did it before too and not just on vampires, but to human girls as well. This was the reason why he liked to work on his own." She paused taking in a breath.

"What did you do?" I dared to ask.

A grim expression over tome her normally beautiful face. "I pull three bullets in his chest and dumped his body in the ocean. He didn't deserve to live. He was a monster and deserved to die."

There was another moment of silence when I asked, "Would you still kill me?"

She blinked, surprised by the question and then shrugged. "When we first meet, I wouldn't have hesitated, but now…I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not. I really don't know. You're not a bad as you appear."

I just nodded in reply, thinking. A small smile crawled across my face. I understood her better now and I could compare to her. She was a broken soul and didn't just kill vampires because they drunk blood but because most were evil and monsters. I yawned, forgetting that I hadn't slept in two days.

"You better go and get some sleep," she suddenly said, her normal expression returning. "Don't need you fallen asleep in the middle of a fight, because I can't protect you all the time."

I smirked, happy to see the old Andria. "And who says I need protecting?"

"As I recall, I am the one who saved you from Zeke choking off your head," she retorted.

I laughed. A normal, happy laugh. "You did. Thank you, by the way." I turned away and started walking towards the door. I didn't miss the surprise in her face though. I was almost at the door when I stopped and faced her once again. "Andria."

She looked up at me. "Yes?"

"Just so you know, I wouldn't kill you either," I said. "You're not an annoying as you appear and maybe if we weren't, you know, a vampire and a human, were would be friends."

"Or we would still try to kill each other," she added with a laugh.

I laughed back. "Probably. See you in the morning."

"Yeah," was her only reply. I opened the door and walked down the stairs. I was almost to my apartment when my phone rang. I picked it out of my pockets and answered it. "Hello? Oh hi Jac. What's up? I didn't expect to hear back from you so soon. Oh, that's great. Wait what?" I cautiously glanced up and down the hall ways. "What do you mean she has less than three days?"

**By the way. I don't know when I will be updating again, probably into two weeks because of finals and spring break. I'm going back home and all the craziness that comes with that. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and tell me if I need to improve anything beside my grammar. I know that. Like the relationship between Andria and Mal. Does it need anything? Please tell. Bye**


	10. Chapter 10: Time Together

**Okay, this chapter doesn't have any action in it, but I had to put it in for just the love of finding love and the funniness of it. Please read and review. If there is anything you don't like, please tell me in a nice way and I will find a way to change it. The next chapter is going to be very important and exciting, so review and it will probably come quicker. I have a nine hour ride back to school on Sunday, so I might have it up on Monday. **

Chapter 10

Andria

I didn't sleep that night. I don't know why, maybe it's because I'm becoming more of a ghost, who knows?

Because for sure, I don't. I don't know much of anything anymore. I don't know what's going on.

Or how my brother's life is going to turn out with no mom, no dad and probably no sister. This was my last day after all.

I don't understand the sudden feelings I am having for Mal. Oh, hell! I kicked my foot against a chair and it went flying into the wall. Dammit. I don't understand what's going on with my head. I shouldn't like him or even trust him. He's a vampire. I am supposed to be a vampire hunter and kill him, not like him.

I tried to convince myself that it was just hormones, but I don't have a body, so I can't blame my body.

But I did mean it when I said I wouldn't kill him now. Out of the two days I have spent with him, I have seen an amazing, surprisingly kind, gorgeous man who's been hurt and scarred and tries to fix himself through pointless drinks and sex.

It's what hurt people do. They find something to replace the pain. Something that in the moment makes them feel alive, but in the long run, it kills them inside. And for some strange reason, I don't want to see him kill himself that way. I actually don't want him to die at all.

"What the hell?" Mal's voice shouted from behind me, making my jump.

"What?" I asked, innocently.

"What?" he questioned in disbelief. "You kicked my chair across the room and left a giant hole in the wall and you say what?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry about that. I really wasn't paying attention," I admitted.

"I could tell," he replied, sighing, his eyes turning to the wall. I looked at him, like really looked at him and I realized he was in towel, his dark hair wet and hot steam rising off his even hotter chest. Damn vampires and their amazing good-looks and awesome bodies. "If you want a photo, I have a camera," he said, looking at me from the corner of his eyes with a sly smirk on his face.

"Uh, don't flatter yourself," I grumbled, keeping my inner thoughts to myself. I looked away from him, rolling my eyes and my arms crossed below my chest. There was really nothing to look at, I tried to tell myself, but sadly it wasn't working. When I looked up at him, he was moving towards me. I automatically took step back.

He stopped and the smile on his face grew bigger. "Scared, are you?"

"No."

"Really?" He looked amused. "Are you sure?" He took another step forward and I took a step back. What the hell was wrong with me? Oh right! He's nearly naked!

"Get dressed," I said, glaring at his face, but that stupid thing was gorgeous too. "We have stuff to do."

"Right? Stuff? And what stuff would that be?"

"You know…stuff," I finished as he used his vampire speed to close the gap between us. I gasped and I knew my heart would have fluttered, if I had a heart. He stared down at me, his eyes searching mine. "What are you trying to do?" I asked, sounding as annoyed as possible, but my voice still shook a little.

"Nervous, Andria?" he questioned, still searching my eyes.

"What's there to be scared of? You?" I retorted.

Mal sighed, his eyes dropping from mine and glancing over my body. Wait! Did he just check me out? He then leaned in close, close enough that if I weren't a ghost, our lips would almost be touching. "I said nervous, not scared. There is a big difference."

I didn't know what to say to this, only that my mind was yelling, "Too close! Too Close! TOO CLOSE!" I finally managed to speak, my mouth dry. "I think you need to go get some clothes on now."

He started leaning closer. "What if I don't want to wear clothes?"

I frowned and instantly transported across the room, away from him. He stumbled forward surprised. I threw a pillow at the back of his head and he laughed, picking it off the floor. "Go get dressed," I sneered, but I could stop the smallest smile that appeared on my face.

"Come on. Have a little fun," he said, tossing the pillow back at me. It flew through my head.

"Ow," I said.

"Oh, please. That did not hurt," he said.

"No, but it was rude."

"You throw at me it first and it actually hit me," he complained back.

"So? You're a guy, you're not supposed to complain about a pillow," I replied.

Mal laughed in disbelief. "Aren't you supposed to be a mighty vampire hunter? Oh and you're also a ghost and you say I am the one who shouldn't be complaining?" He started moving towards me again as he spoke.

I rolled my eyes and put my hands on my hips. "I'm still a girl."

"Right," he sighed and then looked at me slyly. "Prove it."

"What?"

He stepped closer, coming around the couch. "Prove to me that you're a girl."

"I…I don't have to prove anything to you," I snapped. I knew exactly now what he was trying to get at and it was not happened. "Now get dressed. I think I have some idea where to start looking for Inarau and your uncle."

Mal rolled his eyes and walked back to his room, pouting. "Fine."

"Thank you."

"You're not welcomed," and then him and his sexy body disappeared behind the door.

...

"The school?" Mal questioned in disgust.

"Yeah. She was there two days ago and someone might have some ideas of where she was or where she is right now," I explained, looking out of the car window. "She even might be here."

Mal snorted. "Don't hope for so much." He quickly parked the car and stepped out. I followed, not bothering to open the door. I glanced back at the car. It was a sport car, didn't know what kind though, all I knew was that it was sleek, silver and very nice.

"Nice car, by the way," I said.

"Thanks." He smiled for a moment but then he looked back at the school and the smile disappeared. "Can't we come back later? It's the middle of the day."

"Scared of the a few high-schoolers?" I joked, amused.

"Of course not," he growled, quickly. "I just don't like being in large crowds of humans."

I patted him on the back. "Don't worry. I'll be with you the entire time."

"Why is that not comforting?" he grumbled and I laughed, before leading the way into the high school. He followed, keeping up with me. We entered the school just as the bell rang. Students crowded the halls and an almost depressed expression flashed across Malcolm's face.

"Come on," I laughed. "It's not that bad."

"Not that bad? This is a living hell!" he said, loud enough that some of the students looked up at him. Eyes of girls in awe followed him and he became uncomfortable. "There is a reason why I don't like being here," he began.

"Oh and why is that? Don't like the girls that would just line up and drop dead for you?" I teased.

He cracked a smile at this and then said, "I don't like being out numbered."

"Oh, don't be a baby…" A small older lady caught my eye and I turned. "Hey, this Miss. Crie. She might be able to help us." I rushed towards her and waved at her, so excited to see her, I forget that she couldn't see me. "Miss. Crie! Hi!"

She didn't reply…No her eyes turned to Mal who was now in front of her with his hand outstretched. "Hello, Miss Crie, right?"

Miss. Crie took the hand with a smile and shook. "Yes. How can I help you, boy?"

"I'm Malcolm and I was wondering where I might find Andria?" he asked, politely.

"And who are you to her?" Miss. Crie questioned.

"Cousin," I told him.

"Boyfriend," Mal said with a smirk and a quick glance at me. He knew that would irritate me and it did.

"Boyfriend?" I exclaimed. "Why in the world would you want to my boyfriend? Better question, why would I let you?"

Miss Crie laughed quietly. "Sorry, I find that hard to believe. You see, Andria isn't the type to have best friend, much less a boyfriend."

"What is that supposed to mean? I have plenty of friends…I just don't remember their names at the moment," I defended. But she was right. I didn't have a lot of friends. I never let anyone in. I put up walls to block people from getting to know me.

"Do you want me to prove it?" Mal questioned and before Miss Crie could say anything, he continued. "She loves challenges. Her favorite season is the fall. She is more likely to throw something at you then use her words. She isn't afraid of heights even though she should be scared of bouncing on the edge of the building. Her favorite food is Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Oh and she is very attractive."

I blinked at him surprised. I didn't know he knew that much about me. Miss Crie was surprised too. "Well, then. You seem to know a lot about her."

"I am her boyfriend. It's sort of my job," Mal replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Of course. Well you see Andria's not here yet. She is supposed to be here for the art gallery at time now, but in the meantime, can you take this to the gallery for me?" she asked, handing him a heave picture, for her at least.

Mal took it and nodded. "Of course and oh and if she does show up, can you not tell her about me? It's sort of a surprise. I was going to surprise her with dinner and some laser tag."

Miss Crie smiled. "Yeah, that sound like something she would like." She quickly returned to her class room and when I turned around all the students were back in their class rooms.

Mal glanced at me, his eye telling me that he had no idea where the art gallery was. I smirked. "This way," I said, leading the way.

"I didn't know you were an artist?" Mal said.

"Yeah, it helps with the stress and was something my dad taught me," I explained, walking up the stairs. "You strangely seem to know a lot about me."

Mal laughed. "I guess I'm good at noticing things."

"How did you know about that Five Guys Burgers and Fries?" I asked.

"Completely guess, actually. I saw you perk up when we passed by it. Its good place to eat," Mal said. "One of my favorite fast-food places. Has hungry even passed through your mind as a ghost?"

I stopped, thinking for a moment. I shook my head. "No. I…I guess being a ghost you wouldn't. I mean I look at food and it's like it has no meaning to me."

"Interesting." We continued walking, but a question continued to play in the front of my mind. He really couldn't mean it, could he? I mean, I'm not that attractive that a guy like him, vampire or not would notice me. The curiosity to see if he was just lying finally won and I asked, nervously, "You were just kidding about that attractive thing, right?"

"And why in the world would I kid about something like that?" he asked as we turned into the gallery.

"Because it's not true," I snorted.

Mal laughed, looking around the room. "Right and you wonder why you haven't had your first kiss yet," he said under his breathe, but I still heard him.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He finally looked at me and his face was…I don't know, but it wasn't something I had seen before and I didn't understand it. "It means I wasn't kidding. You are…very attractive and you seem fun to be around, if you not throwing things, but even then…I can see why Rick cares for you so much."

"What?" How did this conversion suddenly get to him?

"You don't see it?" Mal looked at me with a slightly amused/confused expression. "You really do see it?"

"See what?" I am so lost.

Mal sighed, turning away. "I'm not explaining it to you. And people say guys are oblivious." He picked the picture up, once again. "Where does this go?"

"Over there." I gestured to the empty spot on the wall. He walked over and put the picture up on the wall, making sure it was straight. The charcoal picture next to the one he had put up caught his eye. "Is this yours?" he asked. It was a picture of a little girl in a field of black and white flowers.

"Yeah. It's the one I did over the summer, before….well before this," I answered.

"It's good," he complemented. "I never could get a held on charcoal though. It makes a mess and turns everything black."

"But that's the fun part. Making a mess and enjoying it."

He threw me a funny look and question dawned on me. "Wait? What do you mean you never get a handle on charcoal?"

He moved to the next picture, studying it with his hands in his pockets. "Well, I always did love oil paints the best, after that it's watercolor."

"You're an artist?"

Again he gave me a funny look. "Did you not see the oil painting in my apartment? Those are all mine."

"No," I replied. I've been a bit busy.

"Like I said oblivious."

I rolled my eyes and prepared to walk away to look for Inarau, when Mal looked at another picture. "Oh, wow," he said in disgust. "Please tell me this is not yours."

The picture was horrible and I knew exactly who it belonged to. "Oh, hell no. I would burn something that horrible. I still want to," I said. "That's Gary's. For some stupid reason, he believes he's got at art."

"But it's horrible. It's not balanced. The colors are wrong and not blended and what is that? He mixed…"

"Oil and acrylic paints together? Yeah," I finished.

"It's a big no-no. Someone should slap this guy," Mal said.

"Been there, done that," I admitted.

"This is strange," he said, looking at me.

"I know. Worst painting ever. Even folk art is better than this and I like folk art."

"No, I mean you," he said and I threw him a confused look. "You're strange."

"What?"

"I mean you're a vampire hunter, yet you're an artist. It's not exactly a career, vampire hunters go into," Mal answered. "And even if they do, they're not very good, not like yours, at least."

A crooked smirk spread across my face. "Is that a compliment?"

Mal smiled, running his hand through his hair and looked at his feet as if embarrassed. "I guess it was."

"I don't see how you think I'm strange. I know very little vampires who paint and enjoy it," I said, happy. I was actually happy.

"Well, I guess we're both strange."

"Yeah, I guess we are." I agreed and I couldn't help this overpowering feeling that swelled in my chest. I knew perfectly well what it was; I just pretended it wasn't there. It was the last thing I needed.

**Try to guess what is going to happen in the next chapter and I'll put your name in the story, because I sort of need a name. Please review and share.**


	11. Chapter 11: Hating and Caring

**Hi, sorry this is late but I got sick on the ride back to school and I couldn't type. So here it is. It's a bit jumpy, but I wanted to get it out because it is sadly the last chapter. Please read and tell me how you like it.**

Chapter 11

Mal's

As the day went by, there was no sign of Inarau or Kaless. No one at school knew where she was and most didn't even realize she was missing. I did most of the talking, because well….Andria's a ghost and can't exactly talk to real people. As the day went on, she became more and more anxious and I knew exactly why. Her time was running out. I couldn't stop myself from feeling sorry for her. I wanted to help, but my help wasn't going to be good enough. She would need a miracle.

It was four-ish when I finally decided to head back to my place. The attackers that wanted to take Tommy might have left so clues, but it's a big might. "Alright," Andria agreed, her normal sassy tone gone from her voice. "It's worth a shot."

I was driving, but I still glanced over at her and could see the sadness in her eyes as she stared out the window. I couldn't stop myself from asking, "Hey, Andria. Are you okay? You seem a bit depressed."

She shrugged her shoulders. "A long day of nothing, I guess."

"It's more than that. You're worried and you're scared," I continued.

She got angry at this. "I am not scared!" she snapped and then she bowed her head, shaking it. "Sorry," she said in a quiet voice. "I shouldn't have yelled and yeah."

"Yeah what?"

"I am scared," she admitted, "of dying."

"You're scared of dying?"

"Like this. Just waiting. Stuck and just waiting for that damn bright white light to take me." She laughed, coldly. "I never thought I would go out like this. I always thought I would be killed. Head chopped off. It would have been ironic, being a vampire hunter and all."

"Come on," I said, trying to smile. I hated seeing her like this. Hopeless and so dead. "You still might get the chance."

The corners of her mouth twitched but a smile never formed. "I doubt it. I should just give up. I mean by the time I find Inarau, it was be too late and I probably wouldn't care or already be dead. I should just leave and let you get on with your life. There's no point. My dad's dead, my mom's dead, my brother…Uh he probably thinks I ran out on him. I might as well die."

I got angry. I slammed on the brakes, pulling to the side of the road. A few cars honked. I faced her. She was surprised by my actions, but I didn't care. "Don't say that! Don't you ever say that! Does your life mean so little to you!"

She got angry too. "Why do you care? You get to go back to your life when I'm gone!"

Yeah, my boring life. But I didn't say that out loud. "You can't just give up. You have to fight. You're a fighter."

"And what if there's nothing worth fighting for!" she screamed back. She suddenly relaxed, her head down in her hands and it sounded like she was sobbing. "I'm scared, Mal. I don't want to die. I've barely lived and I didn't want to die."

I relaxed and finally put the car into park. (I had my foot on the brake the entire time.) I had to cheer up. "You're not going to die, Andria, do you know why?"

She glanced up at me through her hands. "Why?"

"Because of that mouth of yours. You'll go straight up and they'll just kick you out, right back down to earth," I teased with a smile.

Her face lit up a little and she was trying not to crack a smile. "Right?"

"Oh yeah," I said, leaning back in my seat. "They just take one look at you and go, 'What the hell? Send this one back down. She's cause nothing but hell up here.'"

She laughed and I sighed. Damn. I am not supposed to be feeling these feelings towards her. "Well what about you? What happens when you die?"

"And who says I am going to die? I'm a vampire."

She was returning to her normal-self. "Everyone dies, Mal. Time kills everything, even vampires." She laughed. "I bet when you die, they look at you and say, "What is hell doing in heaven? How in the damn world did he get here?"

"And who says I'll be going to heaven?" I questioned.

She smirked, titling her head, that made her look extra cute, but then she looked away. "You're a good man, Mal. You may not know it, but you are. Vampire or not, you're good in…" She reached out and touched my chest. "In here. You're scarred, but you're good."

"I'm scarred?"

"Yeah, but don't worry, some of the best people are. Take me for example."

I laughed. "Right."

She laughed too. "Come on then. Let's get back to your place. I hate being in the car with you. You stink."

I put the car into drive and pulled back onto the street. "You can't even smell me."

"So?"

…..

We arrived back at my apartment, laughing. I threw my jacket down on the couch as we came in and then threw myself on the couch, stretching. It was nice to lie down. It had been a long day "Get up off your lazy but," she said.

"You can't tell me what to do," I chuckled.

"You want bet?" she challenged.

I opened my mouth to say something, when something suddenly dropped into front of my feet. My body knew what it was better my mind and I leaped behind the couch as the little bomb exploded. Smoke filled the room and my couch went flying across the room. "What now?!" I growled, slowly standing. In walked five big guys all with swords and knifes and Zeke in the far back. Great. "Back for a rematch, Zeke," I smirked.

"I don't get paid, if you don't die," Zeke growled in reply.

"Take your best shot," I said, my body ready for some excitement. I would be able to take these guys easy with Andria at my side. I glanced over at Andria. "Ready…" I trailed off. My heart sank. She wasn't anywhere. She was gone. How could she leave? After a few moments and she didn't return, I got angry, super angry. I guess I'm really on my own.

Andria's

I didn't know what happened. One minute the living room is exploding and the next I hear these strange words in my head and I'm in the middle of some random street with cars passing through me. What the hell? I didn't do this. I was almost as if I was pulled here. I teleported back as fast as I could, but what had been a split second for me, was about thirty minutes for Mal. I arrived back in his now completely destroyed apartment and the battle was over. Bodies and bloody heads were spread across the room and then there was Mal, leaning on the turned over couch with a bloody blade in one hand and a bottle of blood-whiskey in the other. He was scrapped up pretty bad and he was pissed. Very pissed. "Mal," I started and he laughed. A dark laugh. There was a crazed angry expression on his face that I didn't like.

He slowly stood up, shaking on his feet a little. His attention wasn't on me through. It was on the wall. "So, you decided to come back?"

"What happened?" I asked.

This question just made him angrier. He faced me, stepping towards me. "What happened? What happened?" he yelled. "I fought for my life after you left me for dead."

"I didn't leave you for dead, Mal. I didn't mean to leave," I yelled back.

"Yeah, right. You want me dead! You've always wanted me dead." He threw the bottle and it smashed against the wall into a million pieces. I jumped. I don't understand why I'm scared, but I don't like this Mal.

"I don't understand why you're so upset? You're alive, aren't you?"

"That's not the point. The point is that you left me. I was depending on you to have my back and you abandoned me. You just disappeared when I needed you. I almost lost my head!" He paused, breathing heavy and then I saw it, a long thick red line across throat. He did almost die. "After all I have done for you and all I've tried to do, and probably the one time I needed you and you leave!"

"I didn't mean to." I was pleading now and I didn't understand why. Maybe it was because I didn't want to lose him. "It was as if something pulled me away. It wasn't my fault."

He snorted a laugh of disbelief. "Right. You were just pulled away?" He stopped and then pointed to the door with his blood stained sword. "Leave."

"What?"

"You heard me. Leave and don't ever come back," he sneered.

"You can't make me leave. You can't force me to," I challenged.

"Okay," he said, relaxing. He stepped back, shrugging. "I'll just wait then. This is your last day, isn't it?"

I jerked back shocked, but I quickly covered it. I couldn't let him know that. How did he know that? "I don't know what you're talking about?" I tried to keep my voice strong but it squeaked a little.

"Oh, yes you do. You had three days before you go bye-bye and I knew and I still helped you," he explained. "And now all I have to do is wait and my problem will be gone."

I just stood there in silence for a moment before asking, trying to keep calm, "If you knew then why? Why help me?"

Mal stepped back even farther and looked down at his feet. It was almost as if he couldn't find the right words, but then he said, grimly, "To see you dance. To see you suffer for making my life a living hell." His voice began to grow and he began moving towards me again and I started backing up. "You're an annoying, worthless, horrible disgusting being that doesn't even deserve to be human. You're a monster on my life and if you were human, I would kill you without a second thought."

I felt myself snap inside and that overwhelming power come back into my spirit. I forced it away, but it still caused me to shake. "You…you don't really mean that?" I was scared and sad…No not sad, it was different from sad, it was worse than being sad. It tore me up inside and I wanted nothing more than to just disappear. How could he do this to me? I thought he…I shook my head. Idiot. I'm an idiot.

"Oh, yes I do." He was in my face now and I was back against a wall that I could walk through but I wasn't thinking. I couldn't think. "I hate you and now I don't even have to kill you. I can just sit back and watch the show," he sneered.

"You….you…." I couldn't finish the sentence. I couldn't think straight.

"Finally you have nothing to say," Mal rejoiced, darkly. "I should have done this a while ago."

That's it. I couldn't take it no more. This is breaking my heart. I thought I could trust him. I thought he cared. He understood. "And I've been a fool," I finally spat, angrily. I was not going to let him see my sorrow. "You're nothing by a monster, Malcolm Selixd and you'll always be a monster."

Something flashed through his eyes that looked almost like regret, but I didn't stick around to find out. If he wanted me to leave, then fine, I'll leave. I appeared back at my home in seconds to me, but when I looked through the burnt window, it was sunset. I looked up at where my room used to be, but it had collapsed down and I was now standing in the rumble. If I was going to die anywhere, it would be here. I collapsed on my knees, hating myself. Why had I called him a monster? How could I? I punched the black floor, but my fists just went right through it.

He's a vampire. I should have known this would happen. I should have known he was good for nothing I hate him…No, my mind told me. You don't. It was right of course. I didn't hate him. I hated myself.

"I was a fool," I cried. "An big fat idiot. I should have known he…"

"Would break your heart," a deep familiar voice laughed, from behind me. "I could have told you that."

I stood up as a short figure walked out of the shadows. "Kaless," I sneered.

He smiled, flashing his teeth. "Hello, Andria. How are you?"

"You can see me," I stated, slowly backing up. "Magic, I assume?"

"You're pretty smart for being dead," he retorted, calmly.

"I'm not dead yet."

"Oh, but on the inside yes, you are. You fall for him and he's the one who killed you," he smirked.

"Shut up! I didn't fall for him," I growled. "Why am I still talking to you?" I went to teleport away when from nowhere this force slammed into me, knocking me to the ground. White agony coursed through me and my head was spinning. When the pain filled died down, I realized that I was on my back on the floor. I tried to stand up, but some invisible force kept me pinned to the ground. I struggled, moving my arms and legs, but I couldn't sit up or stand. "What the hell?"

"You're not going anywhere," Kaless smirked, now standing over me. "We are going to try a little experiment." He pulled out a long black sword from a bag that had been slung over his shoulder. "Thanks to Inarau and this beautiful sword, I am going to cut you up into tiny little pieces and if you survive, you might one day thank me, but if you don't…well…your soul will being crossing over a little chewed."

"You can't kill me," I spat, still trying to sit up.

"And who said anything about killing you? This sword will just tear you up into little pieces. It's going to be fun," he said, swinging the sword around.

"Go back to your bitch!" I cursed and this made him angry. He broke the sword down on me, slashing me across the stomach. I screamed as pain exploded through my mind. The sword left a mark. It was a long gash that was bleeding bright glowing liquid. It was my soul. He was going to tear my soul apart, the only thing I had left.

"When I'm done with you, you'll be so broken and beaten that even Heaven wouldn't recognize your soul!"

….

Mal's

"You really messed up," Jac said, after hearing all I had to say and I couldn't believe him. I had come to him, to help me tell me that I had done the right thing. She left me to die, I should be angry at her, I should be happy she's finally gone but why am I feeling so damn guilt.

"I messed up?" I growled. "How in the world did I mess up? She's the one who left me."

Jac chuckled, taking another drink from his shot-glass. "And who's the one who told her to leave?"

We were at the bar. We couldn't exactly meet at my house. This time, however, the bar was actually filled with people, but I didn't care. I was too angry to care, but I was more than angry…I was…No I will not say it. She left me? How could she? She left me for dead? "That's not the point Jac. She owed me and she just disappeared and then said it wasn't her fault," I argued.

"And did you ever even think that she might be telling the truth?" he questioned with raised eyebrows. "That something might have pulled her away on purpose?"

I shook my head. I wasn't going to believe that. I didn't want to believe that. If I did, I knew the guilt would kill me. "No. It turns out she's not who I thoughts she was. She's just another helplessly, scared child." I hated myself for saying this, but right now I hate myself more than her, and I know exactly why, (though I not about to admit.)

"You're comparing her to Quinn, Malcolm and what I've heard of her, she is nothing like Quinn."

I slammed my fist into the table. "Don't you dare talk about Quinn. She's…"

"Gone," Jac hissed coldly. "She's been dead for over four hundred years. I thought you were finally moving on. You know I think you're just mad at Andria, because you actually care about her. You care so much and you hate that she doesn't care back."

"I don't care about her. She made my life hell," I hissed, but I felt guilt saying it. I felt so guilt. I should have never yelled at her, not at least the things I yelled.

"I could do with a little hell in my life," Jac commented and I rolled my head. "Oh and you're lying."

"And how would you know that?"

Jac threw a look at me. "I can see people's emotions, who says I can't see yours?"

"If you can really see my emotions, you would know that I'm angry," I sneered.

"Yeah, you're angry, hell you're pissed, but it's not at her, it's at you. You're angry at yourself and no matter how much you deny it, you care. You really care…"

I threw up my hands in surrender. I couldn't take this any longer. "So what if I care? So what if I was stupid enough to care about her? It's not like she's ever coming back."

Jac didn't seem to hear me. He was studying me, seeing things I couldn't. "Oh no," he whispered and a frown came to his face. "You're cold."

"What?" (P.S. to self, don't ever call Jac again when he doesn't want to make sense and is in a prying into other people's mood mood.)

"You just don't care…no…you actually lo…"

"No!" I cut off, shaking my head. "No. I don't, so don't say it."

"Yes, you do and that's why you're so angry. You're mad at yourself," he stated. "I would be too."

I shrugged. True I was mad at myself for being a complete jerk and an idiot. "So what if I am? I'm mad at myself because I allowed myself to care about her. I can't get her out of head. I haven't been able to for the past two days. Every time I close my freakin eyes, I see that stupid, big mouth, beautiful face of hers and it's driving me crazy." I sighed. Dammit. "You're right. She's not like Quinn. She's stronger and braver than Quinn ever was."

"Then what the hell are you doing here?" my brother shouted. "You're really going to let her die alone?"

I grumbled and glared daggers at him. "Damn you!" I stood up and grabbed my jacket. "You can pay for this, right?" I asked as I run out the door. All I heard in reply was, "Damn you."

….

I found her at her burnt home. It was the first place I guessed she'd be, because I knew if I had a choice of dying anywhere, it would probably be at home. I parked and came up to the door, believing it would open easy, but it didn't. It was blocked by something. Odd.

I could hear screaming from the other side and a voice that was laughing and talking, coolly. "You just don't know when to give up, do you?" the deep voice asked, amused. "Even when there is nothing you can do."

"Go to hell!" I heard Andria's voice snapped, pain thick in her voice.

"You first," the voice laughed and then Andria screamed.

That scream triggered something in me that had been dead for four hundred years and the door didn't stop me this time. I broke through it, like it was paper and ran into the burnt living room, where my eyes first went to Andria. She was on the ground, trying to stand up, but something was keeping her down. Magic, I guessed. There were cuts and stabs all cross her body that were oozing her soul. Her soul was being ripped apart. There wouldn't be much left of her soon.

A disgust and hatred filled my chest. There was a man standing above her with a long blade in one hand. I knew this man instantly. Andria's eyes found me and for a moment they lit up. "Mal," she whispered, her voice just a squeak.

"Malcolm," Kaless said without turning around. "I was wondering if you were going to join us. Andria doesn't say such nice things when she doesn't want to talk." He finally faced me and swung the sword over Andria. "There aren't a lot of things that can hurt a ghost like this. It is all good fun. You want to have a go at her? I bet she'll just love that."

Fear flashed across her face as Kaless said this. She thought I would actually do that. This horrified me. She really thought I hated her.

"No," I growled.

"No?"

"No. You're going to let her go and lead us to Inarau," I ordered.

Kaless laughed, throwing back his head. "And why, my dear confused nephew, would I do that?"

"Because if you don't, I will kill you."

"Oh, now that's amusing. One of your older brothers tried that, remember and he still mistaking an arm and a few other parts," Kaless explained.

I wasn't going to stand here and talk. I went to attack him, but he knew what I was going to next. Damn Mindreader. But instead of attacking me, he stabbed the sword straight through Andria's chest into the ground, so it was stuck there. Her scream made me, stop for the smallest moment and Kaless took advantage of that and attack me first. A long knife cut me up the chest as I leaped back.

I growled with pain as my blood flowed.

"This is going to be too easy," Kaless smirked.

I attacked, lunging forward, but he knew my every move before I could even get close to him. He even told me as he blocked, stabbing me here and cutting me here. I finally got one hit in and then he got angry. He kneed me in the stomach, and then took both hands, grabbed my head and smashed his knee into my skull. I heard a crack and I stumbled back, blood oozing down my forehead. The world around me began to blur. My skull must be wide open if I can't focus.

I fell to my knees, trying to focus, but I was still low from the other fight and I hadn't drunk blood all day. I looked over at Andria, who despite the sword was trying to get up. I could the truth in her eyes now. She did care. She wanted to help. "I'm sorry," I heard her whisper and I knew if she wasn't a ghost, she would have been crying. Then I saw something else flash through her eyes. It was the same thing I saw when she realized that her mom was dead.

Kaless grabbed my hair, lifting my head up so my neck was exposed. "You're making this too ease," he said, rising his knife up when a sudden force hit him, knocking him through the wall.

I swallowed, looking over at Andria. It had been her. She released her power, but this time she controlled it. How much focus that takes to control, how much love. I slowly stood up when another wave of power escaped from her, but this was different, it didn't knock me down. It was as if the bond that kept her pinned to this world, just broke.

Dammit, it just did. I rushed to her side, collapsed on my trembling knees. I carefully pulled the sword out of her and she groaned with pain, but then she began to fade. Her ghost was fading and she was quickly disappearing. I grabbed her up in the arms, holding on to her, despite the pain it caused me. My blood began to go into her wounds turning parts of her open soul, but I didn't care at the moment, I just needed to hold onto her and keep her in this world. I could feel her fading faster and faster.

"Mal," she gasped. "What are you doing here? I thought…you…you hate…me."

"Then why did you save me?" I asked, holding back the pain in my throat. Dammit I was so close to crying. I haven't cried in years. "You won't have done that unless you cared."

"Maybe…I do," she whispered with a small smile and then she gasped, crying out. "But it's too late. I feel it pulling at me. It's taking me and I can't stop it."

"Yes, you can. You're stronger than this thing," I said, my throat closing up.

She laughed and then coughed. "No one is stronger than death. I can't stop this."

"Yes, you can." A hot tear rolled down my cheek. I pulled her closer, holding her tight as she began to fade away from longer. "Think of your brother. You can't leave him. He needs you." I bowed my head, letting the tears roll. "I need you," I whispered. "I think…I think I might be in love with you."

She reached out and touched my cheek, wiping away the blood and the tears. "Be a good man."

"And how can I do that without you? I need you, Andria, more than I have ever needed anyone. You can't leave. You can't give up."

I did the only thing I could think off. In all the stories it always worked, maybe it might work for real this time. I leaned down, slightly pulled her up and gently kissed her, my lips spreading perfectly across hers. I felt her kissed back. This felt right. Her and me. But then she began to glow bright and I could no longer feel her lips. A white light completely consumed her and for me everything went black.

**Okay that was a joke. This is not the last chapter. Got you! You probably hate me now But please review and predict! What will happen next? Oh and was it corny or nice or yeah whatever. Could we maybe get six reviews this time. **


	12. Chapter 12: Aliveish?

**I feel lazy and did not read through and correct it so, have fun. Enjoy Review. Tell me if you like. If not...yeah, you get this all the time. But seriously review, it's good for you and for me. **

Chapter 12

Mal's

I woke up with blurred vision and a pounding headache. What had happened? I couldn't remember. My head hurt too much. All I knew was there was a battle and I was very hungry. I slowly sat up, my body hurting, but no longer bleeding. Bleeding for what?

"Bleeding?" I rubbed my face. "Bleeding from what?" I froze as my mind made the connection. Kaless. He was here and we fought and…and…oh my gosh, Andria. The last thing I remember was Andria. Her spirit was fading away and I was using all my strength to keep her in this world. Then there was this white light and…and…I can't remember anything else. I must have blacked out. Andria.

I dropped my head into my hands, cursing. I smashed my fist into the ground and the burnt wood cracked. I hadn't been strong enough to save her. She was dead and I was still alive and to me that didn't seem right. After sitting in my own guilt for who knows how long, I finally looked up and I could just imagine her, walking my way with her swaying hips, yelling at me for being a cry baby and moping around. But I didn't see her anywhere. All I saw was the dark of the house. My vision was still blurred.

I slowly forced myself to stand up and I stumbled. I should feed. I'm so weak. I laughed, coldly. "Or I could just die?" I said out loud. "Would that be so wrong?"

I turned to walk away, when I heard something strange. It was a heartbeat and I knew it wasn't Kaless, because that monster doesn't even have an undead heart. No, this heart beat was different from a vampire's, which was very cold and rarely beat. This heart beat was faster and calm. I stopped and looked back, squinting and this time, I saw something. I was a pale white figure, laying on the ashy floor with her back to me.

I knew it was her because of the waist long black hair and because she was naked. Any guy with a figure like that shouldn't be a guy.

Could it be? No, that's impossible. I limped over to her and dropped to my knees behind her. She didn't stir. I cautiously grabbed her shoulder and rolled her over, needing to see her face. I jerked back when I did. "Impossible," I breathed, brushing long strains of black hair out of the girl's face. This girl was Andria, but she was real, she wasn't a ghost. She was…well…I can't say human because she's not…but she's real.

I stared at her, confused. No, this doesn't make sense. She should have crossed over, not come back in a new body! New body…oh no…I think I knew what happened, but I needed to talk to Jac before I could sure. But I wasn't going to talk to him right now. Andria needed me more.

Just then her heart beat grew louder, making me jump. I closely reached out and touch her again, running my fingers down her arm. I had to ensure myself that she was real. My fingers flicked back. "Oh, yeah, you're real," I said and then I realized that she was still naked. My eyes lingered on her body for a while and I then forced myself to look at her face. I exhaled, smiling. Oh, yeah, she was defiantly a girl. "And you are so going to kill me," I laughed, as I took for my torn bloody shirt and gently wrapped it around her. My ripped shirt barely reached the top of her chest and the bottom of her butt…well it's better than nothing.

Oh yeah, she was totally going to kill me when she woke up.

If she wakes up, a nagging voice in my head whispered.

I pushed it away angrily. Of course she was going to wake up. "She has to," I said out loud as I slowly picked her up off the ashes floor, one arm under her legs and the other holding her head and shoulders up. She was surprisingly light. She suddenly stirred a little, her dark eye lashes flittering, but she didn't wake up.

I forced myself to my feet, once again, groaning at the pain that ached through my body. I needed to rest and feed but I knew better. I couldn't. Not now. I had to keep go, but where. For all I know Kaless could still be out there, and I was in no condition to protect Andria or myself.

I walked out of the house and found that my car was nowhere in sight. "Dammit, Kaless that son of…" I cut off, stumbling backwards, my legs longing to give out.

I leaned against the side of the house and I realized that I only had one opinion. Carefully supporting Andria with one arm, I pulled out my phone and flipped it open. It was undamaged, knowing from previous experiences that fancy phones don't last long in battle. I dialed the number, hating myself for doing this, but I didn't have a choice. I needed someone Andria trusted.

"Hello?" a voice said, coldly.

"Rick," I replied. This is killing me inside. "This is Malcolm. It's about Andria. She's…well it's hard to explain. Come to her house."

I heard a grumbled in reply and then nothing. I hoped that he would come and wouldn't think it's a trap.

I waited for him, leaning against the house, breathing heavy. I watched Andria as I waited. She looked so peaceful, so calm, and so harmless. I laughed quietly. Harmless? Yeah right?

I've never seen her so calm, she was either yelling or laughing. She always seemed to keep her life exciting and maybe that's why I'm falling for her, because I missed excitement and danger. She began shivering, her skin cold and I pulled her closer to me, trying to keep her warm. A thought hit me as I cuddled her in my arms.

Will she forgive for what I have said and done?

I swallowed. I hope so…

Rick's car pulled up, headlights lighting up the house. Gratefully I was in the shadows, so I wasn't blinded by the light. I saw him park the car, step out and in his hand was a long sword. I grumbled, rolling my eyes. He really thoughts this was trap. If it was a trap, I wouldn't have picked such a crowded neighborhood. I stood up straight, stepping forward, but not into the light. "You really thought this was a trap?" I called out and he stopped, facing me.

"I don't know what to think at the moment," he growled and then he noticed that I was holding someone, though he didn't who, I bet he could guess who. He lowered his blade. "Who's that?"

I slowly revealed her face. "Andria. Now will you please put the sword down," I said, stepping closer to him.

"How can I see her?" he asked, his eyes instantly softening. He really cared about her. He liked her, which bugged me.

"Because she's not a ghost anymore. She's real again. She's human," I explained, drily.

He pulled the sword on the hood of the car, before touching her, making sure she was real. He sighed with relief. "It's really her. What happened?"

I wasn't about to tell him the truth…well not the whole truth. "I found her disappearing and then there was a bright white light and when I woke up, she's human and naked," I explained.

"Right, here let me have her." He stretched out his arms and I just stared at him like he was crazy. He was crazy. No way in hell was I letting him anywhere near her. "No," I stated.

"No? What do you mean no?" he growled. "She's my friend."

I laughed. "Yeah, some friend you are. I'm the one who's been with her for the past three day when she was a ghost."

"You're weak and you're hungry. Give her to me," Rick threatened.

"I'm holding her and I'm staying with her," I snapped back.

Rick glared at me angrily and then his shoulders finally relaxed as if he realized something. "Fine," he grumbled. He slowly turned back to the car, picking up his sword. "We'll take her back to my place. It will be the last place Inarau will look for her."

He walked around and opened the passaged door for me, before going around to the other side, still slightly annoyed. I smiled at this as I got in, pulling Andria closer, into more of a ball. We didn't say anything, as Rick started up the car and pulled out into the street. We drove for a while and I kept my eyes mostly on Andria, wishing she's awake. My wish came true. About twenty minutes of driving in painful silence, she began to stir in my arms. I jumped a bit with excitement as she slowly opened her eyes, looking very confused and very, very tired. She tried to sit up, but stopped when I won't let her go anywhere. She didn't look like she knew where she was and that she wasn't a ghost anymore. "What the…? Mal?" she said, her voice weak.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" I asked.

She glanced out the window confused and then back at me. "I don't know. It feels like I should be bleeding out, but it…it doesn't look like it."

Her soul, I realized. It's still damaged and will take some time to heal, if it ever does.

"Wait, how are you touching me? Should you be in pain or something?" she asked, feeling my hands around her.

"Well, that's what happens when you have a real body. You can be touched and feel," I replied, gently teasing. She still didn't look like she was all here. I didn't want to her to panic, but that's exact what she did.

"What?" She jerked up, the torn shirt almost coming down, but then she realized she didn't have any clothes on, because she realized, grabbing the top. "Why don't I have any clothes on?"

"When you get a body, do you think it would come clothed?" I answered with a question.

"Wait, I'm not in my old body?"

I shook my head. "Nope, it looks like you're in a whole new body.

"What…what happened…" She trailed off as she fell back, dizzy. I caught her head, but not her elbow. Her elbow slammed into the car door and she winced in pain, grabbing it. "That hurt," she said through tight teeth and then she smiled, looking up at me, happiness in her eyes. "That hurt!" she exclaimed, her brain finally making the connection. "I can feel again. This is amazing." She suddenly reached out and touched my face, running her finger softly against my cheek. I shivered. Crap. She giggled. "I can feel again. Pain. The heat coming from the heater. Your hand…" She glared at me. "Your hand way too close to my butt."

"Ops." I slid my hand back up to her knees. "I didn't notice…"

"Right." I saw her old self returning. "You just happened not to notice where your hand was," she sneered. "Maybe you won't notice if that hand is missing."

"Now, that's the Andria, I know," Rick started in, glancing over at her with a relief smile.

"Rick." She perked up, stretching her legs and I frowned. I hate this guy. "You can see me and hear me."

Rick's smile grew, but as her feet accidentally went into his face, his eyes followed her legs, but quickly snapped back on the road. "Yeah…uh…legs in face…very distracting at the moment," he said, his eyes trying to stay focused on the road.

"Oh, sorry." She quickly pulled her legs back and leaned into me. "I'm just…" She started trailing off again and I knew she was going to pass out. She winced with pain, gripping her stomach. She looked up at me with pain filled eyes. "My soul's still damaged, still it?" she dared to ask, though the pain.

I nodded.

"Well…that's just…greaaaatttt…" She never finished as she blacked out. Well at least she remembers, right?

Andria's

I slowly felt my eyes open, heavy and pain throbbing through my aching body. I forced myself to sit up, when I was realized I was in a bed with blankets piled high on me. I remember being the car and talking, but I couldn't exactly remember about what.

I held the bottom blanket against my chest, having no clothes on, still. Great.

There is this pain in my head and stomach that makes my wince, as I started to look around the room. I grumbled, trying to keep myself up. It was a plain room, a dress, a bed and a chair in the corner, where someone was sleeping. I was surprised to realize it was Mal.

"Mal?" I whispered but he still heard me, stirring from his sleep. He looked tired and a little beaten up, but I couldn't see any wounds on him.

"Andria," he replied, stretching his long legs. How long has he been in here? "You're awake. How are you feeling? Better?"

I stared at him, confused. Last time I saw him as a ghost, he told me he hated me and would kill me, given the chance, but when I was in the car, I remember him being happy. He was happy now, more like lazy happy, but still. What had been to change his mind? "I hurt all over, but I think I'll live," I answered. "Why am I still naked?"

Mal shrugged, still trying to shake off his sleepiness. "Well, Rick wouldn't let me dress you, I wouldn't let him and you brother said he's rather not be scarred for life, so remained unclothed."

"Right," I sighed, running one hand through my hair. It was long, very long. My eyes followed it all the way down my back and then I noticed something else. Mal's eyes were on my back, which was completely exposed. I shifted, so he couldn't see. "My face is up here," I growled.

He smirked. Damn that smirk. "I don't see why you care so much. I've already seen the right of you and may I say…"

He never got the chance to finish because I threw a pillow at his face, which he caught with ease. "You, jerk. I am going to kill you."

He chuckled, amused. He probably knew that I was going to say that. "And why would you do that? It's my fault I saw you naked."

I was about to say something when this strange dizziness hit me and I was falling back, my arms refusing to work. I would have hit my head against the wall, if Mal hasn't rushed over, catching my head in one hand and quickly sliding the pillow under me. "Easy now," his smooth voice soothed, as he sat on the edge of the bed, still holding me up, our face inches apart. I could feel his hot breath dance across my skin and the tingling feeling that his hand sent down my spine.

Dammit. It felt good. I forget how good physically contact feels.

"You need to be careful," he said, finally, laying my head on the pillow. "You'll probably be weak for a while. Coming back from the dead, does come with a price."

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Two days."

"Two day?! I've been human for two days?" I exclaimed. "And you're still here?

He shrugged, smiling. "Well, I wouldn't classify you as human…"

I stared at him, confused. He didn't look like he hated me. He looked like he cared. "Am I missing something?" I asked. "Because last time I spoke to you as a ghost, you told me, you hated me."

Pain and regret flashed through his eyes, but it was quickly covered up with confusion. "You don't remember?"

"Remember what?"

"What do you remember?" he answered with a question.

I thought for a moment and then said, "I return home after you told…told me that you hated me, but then I remember Kaless and…" I trailed off, swallowing, the memories of my soul being ripped apart. The pain was nothing compared to the physical world. There was a difference between beating a person and destroying a soul. Souls were forever, they couldn't break, only endure. Mal placed a caring hand on my shoulder, giving me confidence to continue. "I remember the torture and then you arrived and…and…it all goes blurry after that. Why?"

"Oh," was his only reply.

"What? Am I missing something?"

Mal stood up, walking towards the door. "No," he replied, but I could still hear the disappointment in his voice.

"Wait!" I called out, sitting up on my elbows. "Where's are you going? You're not leaving are you?"

He stopped and turned back. "Do you want me to leave?"

I shook my head. "No."

He grinned. "Then no. I figured you want some food and probably some clothes, unless you want to go around unclothed, because I personally am okay with that…"

"Thank you," I sneered through a smile.

"You're no fun," he laughed, before leaving shutting the door. I was tempted to try to sit up again all the way, but I figured that it was probably a bad idea. So I laid back down and quickly dosed off.

I wasn't asleep for very long when I felt someone, who wasn't Mal, shaking my shoulders and calling my name. Automatically, my fist went up, socking whoever it was in the face. I heard a groan and then a laugh. Opening my eyes, I realized I had hit Rick. "Oh, I am so sorry," I said, though he should have known better. "I didn't know who you were."

Mal was the one laughing, with a plate of food in one hand and clothes in the other.

"What are you laughing?" Rick growled through a bloody nose.

"Watching her beat you up is never going to get old," Mal stated and Rick glared daggers of hatred at him. I could sense the same feelings from Mal, though he was better at hiding them.

"Okay, here you go. Some food and some clothes." He placed the stuff on the dresser beside me.

"Guy's clothes?" I guessed.

Rick and Mal both shrugged a yes and I sighed. "I guess it's better than nothing."

Mal made a face that he didn't agree, but I ignored it and said, "Out."

"What?" Rick said.

"Well, I'm not dressing with you two in here, so out," I ordered.

"But you can barely sit up," Rick argued. I could hear the concern in his voice, but there was no way in hell I was letting them help me.

"Out," I repeated.

"We better listen to the lady," Mal said, and Rick finally agreed, leaving. Once I was alone and the door was shut, I quickly got dressed, slipping on the tee-shirt and the basketball shorts. No undies. No bra. But still better than nothing.

I swung my legs of the side of the bed, staring at the floor with determination. I could stand. It wouldn't be that hard. I forced myself to my feet and for a moment, I just stood there, my knees wobbling.

But I still pushed myself to walk. I took one unsteady step and didn't fall, so I took another. I felt like a little child learning to walk for the first time. On my third step, thought, I stumbled, crashing into the wall and then falling on the floor face first.

The door instantly open and I looked up to find a very tall, Mal staring down at me, annoyed. "Do you not know the meaning of be careful?" he sighed, bending down.

I sat up, staring at my legs. "I'm perfectly fine. I just tripped."

"Uh, right. If you just tripped, then stand up," he challenged.

I instantly tried, but my legs refused to move. I couldn't force myself to stand again. My strength was gone.

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

"I'm fine. Really. I like the floor," I argued.

"I'd believe that if you were shivering."

Dammit, he was right. I am shivering. I didn't even notice.

"Come on," he said as he quickly picked me up and put me back on the bed before I could argue. He pulled some of the blankets over me but I refused to lie down. "There."

"Were you waiting just outside the door?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said, sitting down on the bed. "To make sure you didn't do anything stupid, which you did."

"Walking is not stupid."

"In your condition, yes, it is," he argued back. "You could have broken your ankle or hit your head."

I laughed a snort. "Okay, what happened?"

He stared at me innocently confused. "I don't know you're talking about."

"I'm not an idiot, Mal," I growled, but I still have a smile. "What happened? And don't tell me nothing happened because something did. I can feel it, but I just can't remember."

He looked away. "Does it matter?"

"Yeah, it sort of does."

He moved closer to me, but I didn't back down. I wanted answer. "Why does it matter?"

"Why? Hell with why? What aren't you telling me?" I demanded, despite the fact that my head was spinning. I was angry. Why wouldn't he give me an answer? "What did you do? Or Did I do? Because when I left you, you were pissed at me and both of us said a few things, that probably should have never been said. Why aren't you still mad at me? I thought after that, you would kill me if you ever got the chance."

"Andria," he interrupted, firmly, suddenly close to me. He was slightly leaning over me and I leaned back, but this only caused him to smile and move closer.

"Have you been listening to a single word I've been saying?" I questioned, irritated that he was so close. I don't know why but it bothered me more than when I was a ghost. He always liked being close, but this made my heart pound in my chest uncontrollably.

He slowly nodded, staring into my eyes. For the life of me, I couldn't look away. "Yes, I have and I've come to the conclusion that…" And then he closed the final space between us, kissing me. He pulled me closer to him, wrapping his arms around my waist.

My first thought was, WHAT THE HELL? But then I found that I really liked it. The warmth of his lips against mine, took my breath away. Really, I couldn't breathe or think either. He broke away, leaving me breathless. "I have come the conclusion that you talk way too much and I, being a gentleman, should fix that," he finished.

I laughed, trying to inch away, but he wouldn't let me. I was too weak to truly struggle, (like I real wanted to?) "You? A gentleman? Very funny."

He suddenly jerked me closer, making my squeak and blush. Damn, the moment when being a ghost comes in handy. He grinned at this, seeing my blush for the first time. He ran a gentle hand down the side of my face.

I couldn't think. I couldn't move. I couldn't…I didn't know what to do. This was just so sudden, but so familiar. My mind yelled, You stupid girl, do something! Push him away!

But I couldn't.

"No disappearing this time," he whispered.

"Mal, what are you doing?" I asked, trying to sound angrily or annoyed, but it just came out soft.

He didn't reply, he just kissed me again, but this time, I kissed back. "I'm sorry," he said between a kiss and I stopped for a second, but before I could say anything, he was thrown off of me and hit the wall.

"What the hell?" I yelled, but I didn't get a reply. I only saw Rick pinning Mal against the wall with a blade at his throat.

"Don't you ever touch her again!" Rick threatened, rage sharp in his voice.

Mal's eyes darkened. "You can't tell me what to do and as I saw it, she kissed me back!"

"Because you forced yourself on her, when she can still barely sit up," Rick yelled. "I want you out my house and away from her!"

"And like I said before!" Mal suddenly grabbed the knife, spinning Rick around and then putting it to his neck. "You can't tell me what to do, human."

Rick elbowed him in the face, regaining his knife. "You do realize she's human too?"

"Stop it! Both you, just stop!" I screamed, wanting to jump into the fight, but my legs refused to move. They didn't listen either. Rick attacked first, but Mal easily dodged, his fangs sliding out.

"Are you so damn sure about that?" he asked, dodging again. They continued to fight.

"MALCOLM! RICK!" I yelled in rage, but it didn't work. I picked up the plate of food, the only thing around me that would break and I threw it with all my strength. It shattered into a million pieces against the wall, between them. They instantly stopped, looking back at me. "ENOUGH! Both of you, stop! Fighting isn't going to fix anything."

"It might fix one thing," Mal grumbled under his breath, but I still heard it.

"No it won't," I growled.

"Andria," Rick began, "He's just usi…"

"No!" I cut him off. "I don't want to hear it! I want both of you out! Now!"

Mal opened his mouth as if to say something, but then shut it.

"Smart choice," I sneered. He was still in his feeding mood, teeth sharp, eyes dark and muscles tight. "Now leave and don't come back until you two can behave in the same room and if I heard fighting, I will come and kill you both, even if it kills me. Am I understood?"

**Good right? No...no answer! Hello is anyone there? Can anyone hear me? If you can hear me review! BYE!**


	13. Chapter 13: Pain

**I know I am a horrible human being. I have been so lazy and busy with school that I just have had time or the motivation to finish this, but now I have at least the next two chapters written down, so just review and I will probably have the next chapter up in a week. **

**Chapter 13**

I slept for who knows how long and when I woke up, I was alone. I just laid there staring at the celling, not really thinking, but more of trying to ignore this pain that was slowly growing in my chest. I sat up when the door opened. My breath caught in my throat, until I saw that it was only Rick. "Oh, hi, Rick," I said, hiding my disappointment. No I shouldn't be disappointed I told myself. I should be happy. "How long was I out?"

He was carrying a plate and a glass of water. "Only a few hours. It's morning now." He handed me the plate before sitting down on the edge of the bed.

I only nodded.

"The leech isn't here anymore. He left after you told us you would kill us if we didn't get along," he stated. "He said he would be back, but he's probably out killing as we speak…"

"Don't talk about him like that!" I snapped and then I realized that I overreacted. "I'm sorry." I quickly corrected myself, retaining my anger. "I just…Mal's not like that."

"And how do you know that, Andria?" Rick questioned, keeping his voice calm. He seemed very sad, almost depressed.

"I just do. I've spent three days with him."

"Well, three days doesn't make you an expert with anyone especially a leech. He's a vampire. A monster," he returned. "He's only using you."

"No," I shook my head. I wasn't going to believe that, even though my vampire hunter training was telling me otherwise. I wanted to believe…I don't know what I wanted to believe. "He's different. You shouldn't have attacked him."

Rick stood up, mouth open in awe and then he got angry. "I shouldn't have attacked him?! I shouldn't have attacked him! Andria, he was all over you! What was I supposed to do? Watch?"

"I can take care of myself," I growled back.

"Oh, really? Because you can barely sit up, let alone fight, meaning you can't take care of yourself. Not right now. And three days isn't good enough to know anyone, especially a vampire. He is just using you, Andria. He's just another low life of a leech and by the way he lives, I'm pretty sure he on the bottom of the food chain when it comes to vampires," Rick exclaimed, repeating a some things he just said.

I laughed, still angry. "You really don't know who he is, do you?"

"He's just another vampire. Another son of a…"

"He's Malcolm Selixd," I cut off. "He's not just some low life."

Rick froze, gasping, hand over his mouth, but then he started laughing. It was scary laugh. "Damn...You really know how to pick that, Andria?"

"What the hell does that mean?" I wanted to stand up, so he couldn't look down on me, but I didn't have the strength and this pain in my chest continued to grow, but I ( stupidly) continued to ignore it.

He turned back to me. "So you're telling me that Mal is the dead prince of the Vampire Empire?"

"Well, he's not dead."

Then Rick exploded, yelling in my face. "You are so stupid! I thought you would never… I thought you were smarter than this, but you're an idoit!"

I of course, yelled back. "How am I stupid?! I did what I had to, to survive."

"So falling in love is part of surviving?" he snorted in disgust.

"What? I did not fall in love! He doesn't even care about me, not like that and neither do I," I retorted. "You're seeing things all wrong."

"Really? I saw the way you looked at him and then the way he looked at you and the way he held you, just make me want to…" He ended his sentence with an angry growl. He released his angry at the wall, leaving a hole. "You care about him and don't you dare lie to me!"

"So what if I care!" I screamed back. This argument would have turned into a fight by now, if I wasn't stuck into this damn bed. "He was there for me when I wanted to give up. I wanted to give up and die, but he wouldn't let me! (**not including the fight after cheering her up)** Of course, I am going to care but as a friend and even if I did, he does not feel the same way."

"How can you say that when he kissed you? Not you kiss him? He kissed you! Hell Andria you are so damn blind! He's using you. I heard him talking on the phone and I know he is using you! He was talking to some guy about finding you and taking you away. He's no good for you," he argued back.

"Oh, and you are? You just assumed that the person walking around in my body was me for what? Weeks?"

He backed away from me, his hands up. "You're like taking to a brick wall…No I take that back, it's an insult to all the brick walls out there. You're worse than that and the moment you realize he's using you, I won't say I told you so, I will help you, but until then…" He took a deep breath. "I don't think I can be friends with you who's friends with a vampire."

I stopped. He was bluffing. "Rick, you don't mean that."

"I do, so either send him away or that's it," he said.

I just sat there, staring at him. No more how much I wanted to keep him here by my side, I couldn't send Mal away. I felt tears coming to my eyes. Damn body. Rick had been my only true friend for the longest time. How could he just do this to me? "Rick, I can't…"

"Say no more. You can stay here and so can Tommy, but that's it. Once you're well, you're gone." And then he left me alone once again.

...

It was a while (hours) before anyone came into my room, so I just sat there thinking. What if Rick was right? What if Mal's using me? After all he said he wanted to kill me? But after everything, would he?

I was so complicated inside and not just my thoughts, the pain had grown worse. My thoughts were shattered as the door opened. I was surprised that it was Mal. I sat up straight, ignoring the pain. "What are you doing here? Rick said you left?"

"Yeah, I had to feed," he explained. His hair was ruffled and he looked as if he had been thinking a lot. Oh, no that's not good. Thinking isn't good; I should know that's all I've been doing for hours. "Why? Did you want me to leave?"

I shook my head. I quickly changed the subject. "You really pissed Rick off."

He shrugged, his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, well that's his only problem. He shouldn't have pissed me off."

"How is it his problem? He did have a right to get upset. I should have and I shouldn't have kissed you back," I declared. I can't believe him. He can't just kiss me.

"You don't have to pretend that you didn't enjoy it," he replied, walking over to me.

"I didn't."

"Is that why you kissed back?" he questioned with that smirk. That stupid smirk, that said I have the upper hand or I'm about to.

I avoided the question. "Does it matter why I kissed back? Why did you kiss me?"

He shrugged, sitting next to me. I slowly inched farther from him. "Probably because it seemed like a good idea at the time..."

This got me angry. He can't just kiss me and get away with it. I picked up the plate on the nightstand, ready to smash it over his head, when he caught my wrist. Damn, my reflexes are still so slow. It's just sad. I hate feeling weak. It's like I am a little girl again. "Or maybe because Rick is right about one thing and I do care about you, more than I should," he finished.

"Mal," I warned.

His eyes went my wrist and he pressed a presser point, making me drop the plate on the bed. And then his fingers slowly slid up into mine. "You look me in the eye and tell me that you don't care about me more than you should," he said.

I looked straight in his eyes, but my voice was soft. What the hell is wrong with me?! I shouldn't be acting like this, like some girl. "You're a vampire and I'm a vampire hunter. Whatever emotions we have are caused by hormones, nothing more."

"Well, I don't know about you, but I have my hormones under control. I am after all over four hundred years old," he stated, closely pulling me closer.

"Yeah, cause that's a really turn on. You think that people who date that are ten years apart is creepy, but it's perfectly normal if it's over four hundred," I grumbled, trying to force myself to back away but I couldn't. Something inside me was pulling and I couldn't stop it from drawing me nearer to him. The pain was also still there. He was slowly closing the space between us. "What are you doing?"

That smirk came back. "What does it look like?" He suddenly yanked me forwards, a hand low on my back. I blushed, my heart pounding. Dammit. "You're rather cute when you blush. Makes you look so innocent." He brushed a strain of annoying long hair out of my face then his fingers trailed down my face.

I shivered and then shook my head. "No…no…"

"Yes."

My common sense was back more than it had been early and I pushed him away, though he didn't go very far. Curse the weak body. "No!" I growled. "No, Malcolm. You can't just do that! After everything that's happened, you don't get to. The things you said to me! You can't just take that back." The pain suddenly twisted and I jerked forward, grinding my teeth. What the hell? It felt as if someone just stabbed me with a sword.

Mal grabbed my shoulders, helping me sit up. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I lied.

"You're lying. It's your soul isn't it?" He stood up and grabbed the glass of water from the dresser and handed me it along with some pink pills. "Take. Drink."

"Like that's going to help?" I sneered, the pain growing worse. I was still mad at him, trying to make me forget what he yelled at me when I was a ghost. Trying to kiss me again.

"Now, little girl or I will made you," he warned, dangerously.

I glared at him and slowly took it and then quickly took it. "Happy? And I'm not a little girl!"

"It's either little girl or virgin," he stated.

I shot to my feet, despite the pain. How dare he? I got up in his face, despite my shaking knees. Where the hell had I find the strength for this? The pain was gone, though I didn't really notice. "Why, you stuck-up, disgusting pig. How dare you?!"

"So you deny it then and you're not."

"How the hell did we get to this conversion! And it's none of your damn business." I threw the rest of the water into his face. He didn't dodge it; he just stood there, before smiling up at me. I could see him thinking. "Whatever you are thinking, don't. I will kill you."

"I don't think that is in your power at the moment," He smirked. "And after all, all's fair in love and war, right?"

I took a step back, not like where this was going. My knees gave out and I fell into Mal's arms. Damn this body. I thought I would never be happy to be a ghost, when it came to being around him, it helped so much. He liked being close and when you're a ghost, you can't be. "Right?" he repeated and then suddenly he picked me up.

I yelped, struggling away from him, but his grip held tight. It actually grew tighter. He tossed me over his shoulder when I refused to hold still. "Malcolm! Let go of me! You can't just do this! Put me down!" I screamed in angry.

"All is fair. You shouldn't have splashed me, so I'm just returning the favor," he laughed as he started to carry me. He was heading towards the bathroom.

"Mal, don't you dare!"

"It's okay, you need a bath anyways you stink! You haven't showered in six days."

"Three of those days, I was a ghost and the other three, I've been sleeping. You can't just shove me in the bath."

"Can and will," He said and I kicked him in the face with heel and he winced back but only for a moment. Then he grabbed my leg and pinched it.

"Ow!" I yelped and I struggled even hard. I then yelped. "Don't touch me. Get your greedy hands off of me."

He reached the door of the bathroom and opened it up. "Greedy is such a strong word." He suddenly put me down in the bathtub, rather gently, and reached to turn it on. I snatched his hand, pulling it away, but he only smiled at me and quickly turned it on with his other hand. Water crashed down up me and I yelp like some frightened cat, trying to run away, but the stupid jerk held me in place under the water.

"Mal." I coughed through water. "Stop. This isn't funny." The pain was back again and I tried to ignore it but it continued to grow and it hurt even more. "Please, stop." I wasn't talking to Mal, but more to the pain. A twisted grin and laughter flashed across my vision and I clenched my hands over my ears. Then I saw a face. Kaless. He towered above me, the pain unlike any other coursing through me. He held a sword covered in a shining white blood. "I just love your spirit. You're a ghost with no hope and broke hearted, but you still will not give up." He laughed and I felt the blade go into my arm and down.

I screamed and screamed and screamed but then I felt someone shaking me and holding me and calling out my name. "Andria." The voice was soft and concerned. "Andria, please snap out of it."

The laughter slowly stopped and so did Kaless's face. When I looked again, I was being pressed into a wet muscular chest with strong arms wrapped around me. It took me a moment to remember where exactly I was. I was soaking wet and my eyes were red with tears. The pain was still there, but it was dying.

"Andria, I am so sorry. I shouldn't have…" Mal's voice trailed off as he tightened his grip. "It's that night isn't? When your ghost was tortured?"

I slowly nodded, my hands wrapping around him. "The wounds are still here."

"It will take time."

"How long did I black out?" I asked, finally looking up at him.

He brushed my wet hair out my face and wiped off my tears. "A few minutes. Don't do that again. You scared me."

"I scared you? Big bad Malcolm Selixd afraid because of me?" I laughed softly but then I frowned. "It's only going to get worse from this now on isn't?"

Mal nodded. "I'm afraid so, but I might know someone who can help."

"Who?"

At that moment we were interrupted and in the doorway stood Tommy.

Oh, no Tommy…

**Please review...BLAH, BLAH, BLAH... Tell me what you like or what you don't like and do you think Rick's reaction to Andria was too harsh or understandable. Thank you.**


	14. Chapter 14: Gone

**Thanks for the reviews and to answer a person question: Yes she does look exactly the same expect her hair is a lot longer. Enjoy but you'll probably hate me at the end of this chapter. **

Chapter 14

"Was I interrupting something?" Tommy asked, staring at Mal still holding me.

I shook my head, smiling. The pain was fading and was replaced with happiness. Tommy. My brother and he could see me. I instantly tried to stand but my shaking legs refused to work. "Here," Mal whispered, gently lifting me up and out of the tube. He placed me on the counter, wiping my wet hair out of my face. I didn't even notice. My eyes were still on Tommy. I opened my arms as he rushed towards me. I hugged him tightly and he returned it, despite how wet I was.

"I missed you," he whispered, holding me tighter.

"I missed you too," I replied, tears of joy swelling in my eyes, but I refused to let them run. I never thought I would be able to hug him again or him see me. I glanced up at Mal, who was smiling at me.

"Do I get a hug next?" he asked.

I shook my head, flashing him a crooked smile. "No."

Tommy released me, now partly wet. "You're sort of wet."

"Yeah, you can blame Mal for that," I said. "How are you?"

"Okay," he replied. "The world's stranger and weirder than I thought, but I'm still okay."

"What do you mean?" I asked, shooting Mal a look. The question was more for him.

"Well, we…mean I sort of told him," Mal confessed.

"What? When?"

"Three days ago. What? Did you expect him not to ask questions when we arrived back here with you unconscious and nearly naked? He isn't an idiot, sadly. So, I told him about how you were really a ghost, a witch took over your body and about vampires," Mal explained with a shrug.

"And you're okay with this?" I asked Tommy, knowing most people freaked out at realizing vampires were real.

Tommy shrugged with a smile. "Sure, life sucks for Mal, though."

We both laughed at this, but Mal just scowled at me. "Oh, look he's pouting," I mocked with laughter.

"He really is a big baby," Tommy added.

"Okay, putting you two in the same room was a bad idea. Can't you pick on each other and not me?" Mal grumbled.

"We're just expressing our thoughts," I objected.

"Well, I have some thoughts on you, but they aren't all PG," Mal returned, handing me a towel and moving closer to me.

"None of your thoughts are PG," I frowned as I started drying off my hair. I was starting to feel like myself again, though I knew it wasn't going to last.

"If you two are going to kiss, can you please tell me before hand, so I can run away," Tommy exclaimed.

"Hey, you entered at your own risk, minster," Mal smoothed talked, leaning against the counter. "If you don't want to see me kissing your sister, you shouldn't have come in here in the first place."

I elbowed Mal in the ribs for that comment and instantly I heard a crack. He stumbled back, holding his side. I gasped, panicking. Did I just… "Oh my gosh, Mal, are you alright?"

He straightened up, breathing hard. "I think you just broke one of my ribs."

"What? I am so sorry I didn't think…I shouldn't be able to…" I was rumbling now. Why was I so concerned? He was a vampire. He would be completely healed in a few hours. I felt guilt for hurting him though.

He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Andria, it's fine. I'll heal," he ensured me.

"I shouldn't be able to break your ribs. I can't even stand," I argued, feeling stupidly guilty.

"Yeah, I know," Mal grumbled back, grinding his teeth. He was still in pain.

"Hey, Tommy can you go get some ice?" I asked. The boy nodded, still surprise, hell I was still surprised, before running off. I was taken back by my own strength. A normal human being wouldn't be able to do what I just did without actually meaning it, but I'm starting to get the feeling that I'm not exactly human anymore. I turned my focus to Mal. "Let me see how bad it is," I ordered.

"I'm fine," he replied, trying to be a tough guy.

I shot him a deadly look before reaching forward and grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling him close. "Stop being a stupid tough guy and let me see," I threatened.

He smirked at my action, but gave in. "Okay." He lifted up his wet shirt and took it off. I tried not to stared, but man, the perks of being a vampire.

I glared at him. "Any excuse to take your shirt off, right?"

He grinned at me, stepping closer to me. "Of course."

I rolled my eyes and then turned my attention to his now bruised side. I bite my lip as I run my fingers across his ribs. He flinched at my touch. "Sorry," I whispered.

He looked away from me, his eyes everywhere expect on me. "Don't worry about it. I probably deserve it."

I looked up at him, actually looked and he stared back at me with concerned, guilt filled eyes. "Don't say that."

"It's the truth. After all those things I said to you before, I deserve a little beating," he confessed.

Gosh, I don't like how fast the mood is changing today. Happy, funny, annoying, sad, sly and now this.

"I mean it," he stated. "I shouldn't have yelled all those horrible things at you. I was angry and hungry and afraid and hurt."

"Afraid? Hurt? I don't see why you would be afraid or hurt? From the moment we met all you wanted to do is to get rid of me."

"You're freakin oblivious, you know that? Yeah, in the beginning I wanted you out of my life, but then…" he exhaled, turning towards me. My hand was still on his chest and I couldn't seem to move it. That the hell is wrong with me? Why is when he looks at me like that I can't do a damn thing? I hate it, but I also lo…No I don't. But still I couldn't look away.

"Then I starting getting these feelings, feelings that someone like me shouldn't get for anyone but I got them for you and before I knew it I was fal…"

"I got the ice," Tommy's voice interrupted and Mal instantly turned away from me, my hand and heart dropping. Damn it, why does he make me feel so…damn feely? I don't like it. "Ow, that looks bad," Tommy winced.

"It will be healed in a few hours. Thanks," Mal said, taking the ice and placing it against his ribs.

I just sat there, shivering and thinking. I was keeping my eyes on the ground, afraid to look up at him again. What exactly was he going to say? Could I have held what he was going to say? I didn't know and I didn't want to think about it. Things were all happening to fast. I had barely been awake for one day.

"Hey, Andria," Tommy asked, quietly.

I blinked, replying," Yeah?"

"Where's mom?"

I froze, an image of a blanket covered body flashed across my face. I had shamefully completely forgotten about her. Life had been so crazy, I didn't even think… I glanced at Mal who was frowning. "Tommy," I began. I couldn't look at him. "Mom…she…um…she's not here."

"Well, I know that."

"No, I mean she's not here as in she's dead," I whispered. "Mom's dead, had been for five days now."

Tommy shook his head, slowly backing up. My mom and Tommy had been super close; since he spent part his life in a wheelchair. She had always been there for him, more than me, more than anyone. "No. You're lying."

"No, I'm not. I wish I was, but…"

"No!" Tommy screamed. "She's not dead. She can't be. She wouldn't leave me. She wouldn't leave us." Then he run, tears streaming down his face. On instinct I followed him, wanting to comfort him and be the big sister I was meant to be. By the moment my feet hit the ground, my legs gave out. Mal caught me with one arm twisting around my waist. He always catches me. "Tommy," I cried out, wanting him to come back. "Please, come back. Talk to me."

"Andria," Mal said, softly.

"Let me go, Malcolm. I need to be with him. He needs me. He has no one," I growled back.

"No. He needs sometime alone."

I struggled in his arm, but I was sadly too weak. "You can't stop me."

"Yes, I can. You need to be strong for him. He doesn't need to see you cry too."

Hell, I was crying. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I choked back the tears, wiping them off my face. "I'm not crying."

"You miss her, I understand."

"No, she isn't just missing. She's dead. Both my parents are dead. Tommy's alone… I'm alone." The realization hit me hard. No parent. No mom. No dad. No guidance. No more memories. Alone. I started crying uncontrollably, turning towards Mal, because being with him, I wasn't alone.

…

I woke up in my bed under the covers, my face still red. I must have cried myself asleep…in Mal's arms…well that's embarrassing. I haven't cried myself asleep in years. I sat up, feeling very sore and noticed a note and bag on the nightstand. I picked up the note first:

Hey, had to go out to talk to someone about fixing your soul

Tommy is asleep and Rick is out doing hell knows what

Stand in bed and don't do anything stupid. I mean it!

In the bag are some things I thought you might enjoy

Be back soon

Mal

I smiled, before reaching into the bag. Inside was a bra, underwear, a pair of long black yoga pants and a t-shirt that said, "I'm with Sexy."

I grumbled. I shouldn't be surprised. This is Mal, I'm talking about after all. I'm just glad he got me some normal underwear. I wanted to get dressed when I realized there were three more things in the bag. A box of See's Candies and a leather bond sketch book with a charcoal pencil set.

I smiled and then shook my head, wildly. Damn feelings.

…

I barely felt someone gently stroking my cheek as I woke up. I was still in pain and very tired. I grumbled, not really paying attention and believing it was only Mal's attempt in annoying me. I didn't want to reply. I was tired and very weak, though I was grateful to finally have some really clothes, he was going to have to wait until morning for his thank you. Today had completely worn me out and I had done so little. I wanted to sleep.

"Andria," a voice sang in my ear and I felt hot breath dance across my neck. I know this voice. This voice haunted me.

I jerked up and stupidly backed into the corner. "Kaless," I hissed, trying to hide my fears.

The mindreading vampire sat on the edge of the bed, smiling and showing all his sharp teeth. Six sharp teeth. "Odd. I still can't read your mind," he stated.

Good. I don't want you in my head. I didn't say anything thought, as the memories of my torture flashed across my eyes. I couldn't stop the fear that was quickly overcoming me. Kaless reached out to touch me and I flinched away. His smile grew bigger. "I really made an impression on you. I am truly flattered."

I still didn't say anything. My eyes glanced towards the door and then quickly back at Kaless.

"Sorry," he sighed, moving closer to me. "Lover boy's out at the moment and won't be back for a while. Your little human friend isn't here either."

"I'm human," I finally sneered and he laughed.

"Is that what you truly believe? Or is that why you want to believe? You're no longer human, but a very rare, very beautiful new creature. The first of your kind, but not the last."

I slipped my hand under my pillow as he talked, where my knife should have been, but it was gone. My eyes went to Kaless.

"Looking for this?" He held the knife, the sheath off. "Now, I don't have to read your mind to know where a hunter keeps their weapon when they sleep. It's a very beautiful knife. Let's see if it works."

In a flash the blade was at my throat, but I didn't flinch this time. I wasn't going to be afraid of him. "Go ahead," I challenged.

"Brave, but stupid," he mocked. "Anyways, I doubt slitting your throat will kill you. Actually I have no idea what will kill you, but we'll figure that out together."

"Hell no!" I kicked him in the chest with all my weak strength and surprisingly he flew across the room, leaving a hole in the wall. I leaped off the bed, forcing my shaky legs to support my weigh. I almost reached the door when a tight arm wrapped around my neck and a sharp pain pierce my left side. I yelped silently, refusing to scream. The blade in my side hurt, but it was nothing compared to before.

"That wasn't very nice," Kaless hissed in my ear, before pulling the knife out of my side and pushing me to the ground. I quickly sat up, leaning against the wall as blood oozed from between my fingers that put pressure on my wound. I was breathing heavy and I tried to stand, but couldn't. Kaless stood, towering over me, looking at my blood on the knife. He slowly licked it, delight filling his eyes, disgust filling mine. "Well, that's a new flavor. Not coppery at all. More sweet almost like cherries," he explained. "I think I might have to take some more."

"Get the hell…away…from me," I gasped.

"You know you shouldn't be so mean to one of the men who helped you regain a new body."

I glared at him, confused. "What the hell are you talking about?"

He leaned down towards me. "To bring someone back from the dead in a brand new body requires two things, a broken and beaten soul of a witch and the blood of a vampire."

"A soul of a witch?"

"Oh, Malcolm hasn't told you. Not that he would, he really likes to keep secrets and use people. He's good at using people up."

"I am not a witch," I growled. This guy was completely nuts, but sadly what he was saying made sense.

"And I'm not a vampire. The spell only works if the soul is the soul of a witch. The real question is how did it work? I've never seen the spell be so…stable before. He shrugged, stepping back. "Oh, it doesn't matter. Inarau will be able to answer that question better than I can."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," I sneered, finally using the wall to come to my feet.

"I don't think you have much of a choice, my dear."

"You will have to kill me if you want to take my body anywhere," I shouted and I would be true to my word.

"It won't be you I'll be killing. No you're too valuable. I'll be killing…" Kaless paused and snapped his fingers and in came two very big vampire holding Tommy. "Him."

"No!" I suddenly found the strength to stand with the wall and I prepared to attack, but Kaless stopped me, by simply putting the blade against Tommy's throat.

"One more step and I might slip. You wouldn't want to lose your little brother, the last of your family?" Kaless mocked.

"Don't you dare touch him," I screamed.

"Oh and I won't. I will let him live if you could quietly," the mindreader arranged.

I looked over at Tommy, who was shaking and fear could be seen coming off of him. "It's going to be okay, Tommy."

"You're bleeding," he whispered back. He couldn't bear to lose me either. We were all that was left of our family.

"You're going to be alright," I promised.

Kaless smirked, "So I take that as a yes?"

I nodded without the slightly hesitation.

"Release the boy, grab the beauty," Kaless commanded and the two thugs release Tommy and grab me by my fore-arms. I didn't fight or resist. I just kept my eyes on Tommy. I was hoping he was getting the messaged I was trying to send him. Don't do anything. Just stay.

"Andria," Tommy whispered.

"Don't worry, Tommy," Kaless soothed, coming behind him. "Everything is going to be alright." And then like lightning, he stabbed my little brother right in the ribs. My brother screamed, fall to the ground, blood gushing.

I instantly leaped forward, but my body was held back by the two vamps. I screamed in rage, tears wild on my face. "You, son of a bitch! You said you would let him live!"

Kaless's face flashed an innocent look. "I never said how long."

"I am going to kill you," I hissed, slowly.

"Well, won't that be entertaining?" And then I was hit with the hilt of the knife over my head and I was out cold.

**So? Good? Bad? Batman? Just joking. But please review, it might be a few weeks before I update again, since the end of the semester is coming so, enjoy.**


	15. Chapter 15: Are you done yet?

**Thanks for the reviews**

Chapter 15

I felt someone holding my hand when I woke up. It was tight, but gentle. My eyes slowly opened and I saw a blur beside me. It was a man and his head was down in the blankets on top of me. Wait! Blankets?! I was in a bed. I reached out and touched the head, running my fingers through the hair. The man stirred and my vision cleared.

Mal.

He looked happy but then suddenly his expression changed to grin and he backhanded me. I gasped, jerking back. How could he? But when I looked back up, I wasn't in a bed and I was tied to a cold metal chair and it wasn't Mal who backhanded me, it was Kaless. All my shock and pain instantly vanished and was replaced with hatred. I jerked forward, wanting to lung at his throat, but I was tied to a chair, so I didn't get very far.

I was in a dim room, bond to a chair with Kaless and Inarau. The two people I hated the most. Who did I hate more? Kaless for killing my brother and when I get out, he was the first person I'm going after.

"Amazing, she recovered quicker than I hoped," Inarau started with a smile. "That's good, considering she's actually stable." She came up to me and I could tell difference in my old body. Her hair was long and wavy and her eyes were now dark green. Her true soul was showing through now, I guessed. "You know, I should really thank you. Without your donation, I wouldn't be here," she explained.

"You stole my body!" I yelled, thrashing against the chair, but still I got nowhere.

"I don't see why you're complaining. You got a whole new body," she replied, calmly.

"You killed my mom!"

"Right, well, she had to go. Knew too much. You understand. Anyways I wasn't the one who set the fire, Kaless was. He can tell you more about that later," Inarau explained.

I gazed at Kaless to find him staring back at me with a grin and lust filled eyes. I am going to kill him. "I am going to kill both of you!" I promised.

"Empty words for a girl tied to a chair, but still why? Why? Why do something so chaotic and stupid?" Inarau asked. "You and me, we are kin after all. I'm a witch and you're a witch. The last of our kind. So why kill each other?"

"I am not a witch. I am human!" I yelled. It was more to convince myself.

"Of course, you're a witch. A untrained witch who's powers are and will stay asleep, but a witch nonetheless. You might wonder how you a witch, but that's not the real question. The real question is how? How did the spell work so well?" She began looking at me as if I was some freak. "In all my attempts and in the attempts of many others, never has it actually worked, not like this. The new body usually breaks down within the first few days, but amazingly she's perfectly stable if not better…"

"I am not a witch or your freakin experiment!" I screamed and Inarau snapped me.

"Interrupting is very rude." She turned to Kaless. "You did everything I told you?"

"Of course…expect it wasn't my blood…"

"Who's then?"

"Malcolm Selixd."

"The half-breed? Interesting," she said, thinking, "But it does make sense."

"Is someone going to tell me what the hell is going on? I'll take an answer from either the leech or the whore." I got painfully slapped for that comment. I coughed, choking back the pain.

"You will not speak to her like that," Kaless threatened through six sharp fangs.

"Why?" I growled back. "You afraid she is one."

Another hit. My head is spinning. Okay that one hurt a lot more.

"Kaless enough. You will have plenty of time together, but at the moment I want her put into holding for the night. I need her in better condition for the tests," Inarau ordered.

I didn't like the sound of that. "Tests? What damn tests?"

"Tests to see what you can with stand and what could possibly kill you. Can't have weak army now can I?"

Army? Oh, no….

Mal's

I could sense it. She was gone. Missing. Taken.

I arrived back at Rick's apartment just as he pulled in. I completely ignored him and walked through the front door which was broken. No, no, no. I was running before I could even think properly and I was in her room and she wasn't there. The blankets on the bed with shattered across the floor and there was a giant hole in the wall and then there was Tommy. He was on the floor in the corner, bleeding out. I instantly went to him, kneeling beside him. He was still conscious. "Tommy," I said, instantly applying pressure to his wound.

He didn't respond to me, instead he was staring at the door. "Took her. They took her and I couldn't…"

I forced him to look at me. "Tommy, you need to relax. Take a deep breath in."

He stared at me for a moment and then breathed, shaking as he exhaled. "Took my sister."

"I know, but who? I need to know who?" I asked.

"Guy. Guy I've seen around my sister, before I…knew…it wasn't…my sister…" He was having a hard time breathing now.

"Kaless," I hissed under my breath. Tommy started shaking. I tried to hold him still. He was going into shock. "Tommy. Tommy. Stay with me. You can't die." I began to panic. He couldn't die. He didn't deserve to die. At that moment, Rick came in, looking around. "Where's Andria?" he asked.

"Taken," I briefly said, turning my focus back to Tommy who was partly unconscious. I knew what I had to do, I just hoped it worked. See the Selixd Family is the rulers of the vampires for a reason and we had a few tricks up our sleeves that keep us on top. There is something special about Selixd blood, it can heal, but there are a few…glitches in it. It can only heal certain people and it doesn't work all the time. I prayed it worked this time. I took out my knife and cut the palm on my hand, blood oozing. I quickly lifted up Tommy's shirt, exposing the bloody hole in his side. I placed my hand against his wound and pressed down. He groaned but he did not wake up. Please work, I prayed. Do not let him die.

"Taken by who?!" Rick exclaimed behind me.

"Kaless," I said, my focus still on Tommy.

"I need to find her."

I stared up at him in disbelief. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Me?!"

"Yes, you! Call 911! Get some doctors here or Tommy is going to die and if he dies, I don't think it will matter if we find Andria or not because she needs her brother," I screamed back at him. "He is the only family she's got left and I am not about to let him die. He doesn't deserve to die. Now call the freakin doctors!"

Rick hesitated, but then quickly pulled out his phone, calling 911.

I turned back to Tommy and removed my hand. My blood had gone into his wound and hopefully was taking affect and healing him. There was nothing more I can do, unless I change him into a vampire, but I knew if I did that, then Andria would never forgive me. Color slowly began to return to his face and he stopped bleeding, but that didn't mean he would heal. This ability can easily change course and he could die, but this should last until we could get him to a hospital.

I stood up, my hand already healing.

"Okay, they're on their way," Rick said, hanging up.

"Good, stay here and make sure he stays alive," I ordered.

"And what the hell are you doing to do?"

I started heading to the door. "Where do you think? To find Andria."

Andria's

The moment the door opened I was awake. I don't know exactly how I fell asleep in the first place, but now I find myself awake and chained to a wall, my hands above my head and my feet tied to the floor. I'm able to move, but only a little. In walks Kaless and I freeze, rage built inside me. If only I were free I would tear him apart. He pulled in a rolling table and on the table neatly laid out where knives. Lot of knives. All different and all sharp.

"Well, good morning, darling. Are you ready to start?" he asked like they were old friends.

"Go to hell," I screamed, struggling against the chains. They didn't loosen.

"Only if you come with me," Kaless soothed. He turned around and shut the door, before strolling back over to the table. His fingers danced across the blades trying to decide which one to grab. "Inarau said to go easy on you, but we both know that's not going to happen." He picked up a knife, it was long and made silver. Hey I knew my metals and my knives. He came close to me, grabbing my face with one hand, but I still spat in his face. I was not going to be afraid of him. He calmly wiped my spit off his face and then squeezed my cheeks to the point that I could feel his fingers digging into my skin. "This is going to be so much fun. I wonder, I just finished making Inarau scream my name, could I made you do the something," he questioned with a grin.

I instantly jerked forward and bit his hand around my face. He released, pulling back and blood swelling from his hand. He was angry for an instant and then his smile returned, his hand healing. He backhanded me with the hilt of the knife and I jerked back, pain coursing through my jaw, but I don't make a noise beside a small groan. I was not going to scream for him.

He again stepped close to me, but this time he's closer, his breath twisting across my face. "It is going to be so much fun to break you. Shall we begin?" He waved the flat side the knife across my arm, toying with me and then I felt the tip slowly push into the bottom of my wrist, down my arm. My entire body jerked automatically, wanting to get away from the pain. I groaned, biting my lip. I will not scream, I screamed in my head.

I will not let him have the pleasure.

He stopped and so did the pain. I looked up at my arm which is bloody, but it isn't bleeding anymore. I watched in disbelief as my flesh begins to knit itself together. All that is left is a pink scar. Impossible. My jaw dropped. No that's not possible.

"Interesting," Kaless said, before setting the bloody knife down and writing something down on a piece of paper.

"I'm a freaking genie-pig!" I screamed, thrashing against my chains.

"But of course," Kaless replied, like it was already a known fact. "You shouldn't worry though. I have no intention of killing you. Whether you choice to die or not…well that's your choice."

"When I get out, I am going to rip you to shreds!" I promised. I hate him. He's monster.

"Ladies first." A smirk spread across his face as he picked up a different knife. Copper. "Shall we move on?"

….

Hours passed and it's just me chained up with Kaless cutting on me over and over with different knives and then the same knives and each time I healed. Blood covered my body and very numb. The pain has been the same for a while, so my body doesn't exactly recognize it. My mind does. It screamed at me to make it stop, to run, to fight back, but after hours of torture and struggling against the chains, I'm exhausted and it shows.

"You do yet?" I asked, breathless. "I think we should take turns."

Kaless laughed at this comment and I wish he would just stop, but still this is nothing compared to before when I was a ghost. "And why would I do that?"

"Because you're out of knives." I don't have the energy to yell anymore, but I'm still nasty.

"Yes with the first set of knives," he explained, calmly. He pulled out a small tint box from under the table and opened it. I saw a jar of dark blood and two strange looking knives. "Now this is what Inarau hopes with hurt you."

"Take your best shot!"

He picked up one knife. "50% iron." He waved the blade in front of my face and then slowly slashed across my cheek. I gasped, biting my lip. That hurt a lot more than all the others combined. It burned, but it still healed just as quickly as all the others only leaving a pink scar behind. I hope all these scars go away.

"50% iron, burns, but heals like the rest," Kaless noted, writing it down on a partly bloody piece of paper. He had been taking notes like this for hours. Every time he did, I had a new pulse of rage rush through me. I was not some freaking experiment. "Now pure iron." And before I could take another breathe, he stabbed me in the stomach between my ribs. I choked, the pain taking me by surprise. This hurt a lot almost to the point where I went to scream out, but I held in my scream until he started twisting the knife in circles. My screams were more gasps, but still he smiled.

He removed the knife and the wound amazing healed just as quickly, but I could still feel the burning inside my stomach and it didn't fade.

"Now that was very interesting. It clearly hurts a lot worse than the rest but it heals just as quickly," Kaless noted and then he turned back to me, dancing the bloody knife across my cheek. "But the way, I enjoyed your screams. It took you long enough."

"Screw yourself!" I returned, hating him even more. When I get out of these chains, I am so going to rip him apart.

"How about you first?" He removed the blade from my cheek and leaned in close. I turned my head away as his face came closer to mine. My face was covered in blood and then I felt his lips on my cheek and then his tongue licking up the blood. I winced and then I got angry. I would not let him do this. I twisted my head, knocking him in the head with my forehead. He stumbled back, a lump on his head. "Now that wasn't nice," he growled, reaching forward and grabbing me by the throat, squeezing tight.

My eyes flicked to the door and then back on him. Gosh, will he ever get bored. I'm finding it hard to breath. I can feel my face turning purple. Sure I can take being cut on for hours, but when I'm choked, I struggle even more.

"Oh, Andria, you don't look so well. You're returning purple and…you're still heartbroken and trapped in his lies," Kaless mocked. "You know he's just using you right?"

I glared at him, still trying to breathe. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh, don't pretend like I haven't noticed you glancing at the door and I don't have to read your mind to know who you're hoping will come to your recuse. Your lover, Malcolm."

"He's not my freakin lover!"

"Oh, but he is. I know for a fact that at this exact moment he is looking for you and when he finds you, we will catch him and then I personally will beat him to a blood pulp, making you watch and then I will defile you in every way possible and make him watch. It is going to be so much fun." He ran hand down my cheek, the grip on my neck loosening. "Or I could do it right now."

Something snapped in me at this comment and I suddenly punched him square in the jaw. He flew across the floor, hitting the door. I froze, staring at my hand, confused. How? It was chained to the wall. It's not possible and the chain isn't broken, so how did I just…

It didn't matter how, just that I was partly free. I instantly went to my other hand to free it, but it never got there. An iron like grip grabbed my free wrist, twisting my arm the wrong way. I heard a crack and then I screamed. I find Kaless inches from my face. "You broke my arm, you leech!" I screamed.

"And you threw me across the room," Kaless growled. He was pissed and part of his head was bloody. He was healing, but he didn't heal as fast as me.

I laughed at this. "What's wrong? The big bad vampire can't take what he disks out?"

Kaless twisted my arm again and I heard another snap. I screamed. "I don't you think you understand how gentle I have been to. So no more." His hand grabbed my chin and pulled it to the side, exposing my neck.

"No!" I screamed, struggling even hard, but he just cranked my arm back even more, another snap. I saw his six sharp fangs out of the corner of my eye, four on top and two on the bottom, and then he leaned down and sunk his teeth into my neck. I screamed as he dig in hard, taken in deep gulps of my blood. I struggled and fought, but I wasn't strong enough. My body was too weak and it was quickly becoming weaker.

I felt my life, slipping away as he drunk more and more. I stopped screaming at one point, though I don't know when. I hated this and was afraid. He wasn't just slowly taking my life, but my will. My body slowly began to stop and relax, refusing to listen and soon so did my mind, becoming fuzzy and disconnected. Tears run down my face as I stared at the door.

I find myself almost slipping into darkness when Kaless released, pulling away. I slumped down, unable to support myself. I can't even talk, let alone keep my eyes open. "You taste so good," he whispered, running a bloody hand down my cheek. "But sadly, I have to let you rest. Can't have you dying."

He chained my arm back up, but by then I'm already out.

**Only Two more weeks in school for me and than I am free until new year! Review and take me what you think. **


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